Priori Incantatem
by fellytone
Summary: Can James Potter, Marauder and troublemaker extraordinaire, ever convince Lily Evans, Prefect and good girl, that they were meant to be? Now complete!
1. Prologue

Priori Incantatem by fellytone  
  
"Let us hope that we are all preceded in this world by a love story." - Don Snyder  
  
Prologue: The Sorting Hat  
  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, 1971  
  
James Potter stood in line with the other first years, waiting to be called into Hogwarts' Great Hall for the Sorting and glancing nervously around him at the impressive entryway. He had been waiting his whole life to get to Hogwarts, now he was finally here and about to be Sorted. Looking up and down the line of his fellow first years, James caught the eye of Sirius Black, one of the boys he had met earlier on the train. Noticeably more confidant than most of the students in line, Sirius gave James a broad wink and a cocky grin.  
  
Just then, Professor McGonagall, the formidable deputy headmistress who had been assigned to supervising the new students, turned to face the line again. "They're ready for you now," McGonagall announced. Follow me please."  
  
McGonagall swept briskly into the hall, the first years following behind her at a more hesitant pace, and stopped in front of a three-legged stool with a battered pointed hat perched on it.  
  
Without warning, the Sorting Hat burst into song, stunning the already nervous first years and greatly entertaining the rest of the hall. As the hat sang about the virtues of each of the four houses, Sirius caught James' eye again and they grinned at each other. Gryffindor was definitely the one they wanted.  
  
"When I call your name, you will come forward and place the Sorting Hat on your head, and the hat will sort you into your houses," McGonagall announced, pulling a roll of parchment from her robes.  
  
"Avery, Erebus"  
  
A pale, dark-haired boy came forward and set the hat on his head.  
  
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat proclaimed after only a few seconds had passed. Avery strode briskly off to join the cheering Slytherin table.  
  
"Black, Bellatrix" McGonagall called.  
  
A posh-looking girl with heavily lidded dark eyes and a malicious smile came forward, supremely confident.  
  
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat bellowed once more, this time with even less hesitation. Bellatrix's cat-that-ate-the-canary grin confirmed that she had gotten what she wanted as she glided regally over to the Slytherin table.  
  
"Black, Sirius."  
James' friend from the train sauntered up to the Sorting Hat, exuding innate confidence, an anticipatory sparkle in his eyes.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat called after a few seconds. Sirius looked slightly surprised, but extremely pleased nonetheless. James clapped hard for his friend, hoping they would be in Gryffindor together like they had talked about.  
  
James, becoming bored, let his mind wander as the next couple of students were sorted into Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, respectively. Vaguely he heard McGonagall call out "Evans, Lily" but only glanced around when a dark red object caught the corner of his eye.  
The "object" turned out to be "Evans, Lily's" hair, and James felt his stomach do a funny sort of flip-flop when he saw her properly.  
  
Even though she was extremely nervous and blushing beet-red with the attention, and even though he was only 11 years old and hardly at the stage to fully appreciate the opposite sex, James was conscious of the fact that this was the prettiest girl he had ever seen.  
  
When the hat called out "GRYFFINDOR!" and Lily Evans went to join the cheering Gryffindor table, James looked after her for a minute, hoping all the more that he too would be sorted into Gryffindor.  
  
James grew increasingly nervous as the hat continued to sort the first years into the four houses. Finally Professor McGonagall called out "Potter, James," and James, pasting a brazen grin on his face, sauntered forward to place the hat on his head.  
  
"Hmm..." the hat whispered in James' ear. "There's little difficulty in placing you. Definite penchant for mischief-making. I see talent too, lots of it, and confidence to spare. Loyalty, yes, definitely. Bravery, without a doubt. Perhaps a bit too much for your own good. Clearly you're a...GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
James, grinning widely, went to join the clapping Gryffindor table and sat next to Sirius, who was cheering James with noticeably more enthusiasm than anyone else. Across from James was Remus Lupin, another boy he and Sirius had met on the train, who was smiling nervously at him. Next to Remus was Peter Pettigrew, a small squeaky-voiced boy who was nearly as enthusiastic as Sirius. James looked around at the other three and grinned, certain that they would have a grand time together.  
  
James glanced a few seats down the table at Lily Evans, who was talking with some of the other first year girls. James' heart did another flip-flop as Lily smiled at something Morwenna Marchbanks, a girl James knew through his parents, had said. Lily, feeling James' eyes on her, looked back at him and James, now a little breathless, smirked at her. Puzzled, Lily offered him a small, polite smile in return and James' breathlessness became worse.  
  
"Oy! James!" exclaimed Sirius, poking him. "Look at that one. Greasy haired little git, isn't he?"  
  
Sirius was pointing to "Snape, Severus," who had just been sorted into Slytherin. Reluctantly, James turned his attention away from Lily and back to his new friends' conversation.  
  
Peeking over his shoulder one last time at Lily Evans before he gave Sirius and the others his complete attention, James once again experienced that funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. With people like Lily Evans around, it was definitely going to be an interesting seven years. 


	2. The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

Chapter 1: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

Hogwarts Express, 1976

James Potter had just spent one of the best summers of his entire life.

Of course, this was due mostly to the fact that his best friend Sirius Black had finally run away from his rather twisted home in Grimmauld Place permanently and had been taken in by James and his family on their estate.

James had opened the door one rainy July night to find Sirius Black standing on the front steps soaking wet, his trunk and broomstick in tow. "I can't take it anymore," Sirius had said simply, his eyes not quite meeting James'. "Could I stay with you?"

"Of course," James answered nonchalantly, reaching to grab an end of Sirius' trunk. He kept his tone and actions deliberately casual; he knew how hard it was for Sirius to ask anyone for anything.

"Thanks," Sirius half mumbled, still looking down. James touched his friend's shoulder.

"I'm glad you're here, Padfoot," James said with complete sincerity. He hadn't wanted to think about Sirius living in that house with his demented mother, his spoiled, Dark Arts-obsessed younger brother, and the family's disturbed house elf, all of whom viewed Sirius as the greatest "blood traitor" and disappointment possible. James had been afraid that one day his best friend would crack under the pressure and either start acting the way they felt a pureblood should in order to please his family, which was doubtful, or, the more likely alternative, murder them in their beds.

James' parents had taken the news that Sirius was now living with them quite calmly. In fact, they were delighted, as they heartily disapproved of the Blacks and were quite fond of Sirius. They wisely stayed mostly out of the boys' way as James and Sirius practiced their Quidditch skills at all hours of the day and night, clambered around the house as loudly as any herd of elephants, ate meals large enough to feed a small army, sent owls to what seemed like half of the Hogwarts population, and bought jokes from Zonko's by the dozens.

Now back on the Hogwarts Express, James and Sirius were more than ready to see their fellow Marauders, as James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter called themselves, to make plans for the year ahead. Sirius especially was anxious to get down to the planning stages of their second to last year of mayhem. Reclining on the window seat and impatiently surveying passersby in the hall for any sign of Remus or Peter, Sirius occasionally waved to people he knew and liked and commented to James on those he didn't.

"There goes Snivellus," Sirius sneered. "Wonder if he's a Death Eater yet or is he too slimy even for Voldemort's taste?" But James didn't laugh at his best friend's joke and didn't watch Snape pass their carriage. He didn't want to look up at Snape and be reminded of what had happened last spring after O.W.L.s.

Last spring, in what the Marauders now referred to as The Lily Evans Incident, James had been engaging in his fairly routine torture of Snape, aka Snivellus, when Lily Evans had intervened on Snape's behalf. The whole humiliating episode had culminated in the great love of his life calling him a bullying toerag, telling him that he made her sick, and announcing that she would rather go out with the giant squid than with him. Much as James hated to admit it, her words had rankled, had haunted him all summer, as a matter of fact. But that wasn't going to be the case anymore, because now James had a plan: he was going to make Lily Evans love him.

James was going to find out what exactly about him bothered Lily so much, and he was going to stop doing it, no matter what it took. He couldn't stand the idea of Lily hating him anymore.

A feminine laugh attracted James' attention back to the train's hall. James knew that laugh, even though she rarely laughed when he was around. Jealous, James poked his head into the hall to see who had made Lily Evans laugh.

And there she was. A crowd of girls, still in their holiday Muggle clothing, was standing together outside of one of the compartments. A girl with gleaming crimson hair, on her way past the crowd, had glanced over her shoulder to say something to one of her friends. As she faced forward again and continued down the hall toward him, James could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears and his stomach did its familiar flip-flop, the same one it had been doing during moments like this for the past five years.

Lily Evans.

* * *

Lily Evans had just spent what had very possibly been the worst summers of her entire life.

She had returned to her home in London for the summer holidays, as usual. Her parents had been delighted to see her and full of questions about school, as usual, and her older sister Petunia had been dreadful to her, as usual.

It was in the second week of the holiday when the horribly unusual thing began.

Petunia had brought home a boyfriend, "a suitor," as she called him, for Mr. and Mrs. Evans' approval. She had invited Vernon Dursley to tea, which thankfully Lily had not been present for, then asked him to stay on to dinner. So when Lily came home from tea at her friend Alice Prewett's house, she had been blindsided.

Her family had been sitting in the parlor with a strange young man who was conversing with her father in strident tones (with a lot of fist-banging and hand-waving thrown in for emphasis) about his perspectives on current affairs while Petunia hung onto his every word.

"It's a load of rubbish, these people saying they're starving and can't work to feed their families," Vernon was saying as Lily came in, pounding his fist on the coffee table hard enough to make the teacups jump. "They're all just lazy, that's what it is. Don't want to work for their living like honest, _normal_ people when they can sit back and complain about it. Ship them all off to the ends of the earth, I say, and then we'll see if they can work for their keep! And these so-called _feminists_…" But Vernon's views on the sexual revolution were fated to be saved for another day, because just then he noticed Lily standing frozen in the doorway, unsure whether or not this large pompous man was some kind of joke.

"_You_ must be Petunia's sister," Vernon said in the same tone other people might use when saying, "You must be Satan." "Lily, isn't it?"

"Er…" said Lily, still not quite sure what to make of the whole situation.

"Petunia's told me all about you," Vernon continued with obviously forced politeness. Clearly he was attempting to make a good impression on the Evanses despite his noticeable disapproval of their younger daughter. "I'm sure you'll be rehabilitated eventually." Vernon added rather dubiously. Growing uncomfortable with the Evanses' blank stares, and deciding that he could perhaps be a bit more optimistic about the whole subject, he added with false cheer: "Yes indeed, I'm sure there's hope for you yet!"

"Excuse me?" Lily was thoroughly confused, especially when Petunia began hissing at Vernon to be quiet. Her parents appeared to be just as bewildered as she was. But Vernon refused to say any more, having finally gathered from Petunia that he had just put his foot in it.

A thoroughly uncomfortable dinner followed, Vernon continuing in his very obvious attempts to win Mr. and Mrs. Evans' approval. It wasn't until Vernon had gone, and only then under dire threat from her parents, that Petunia revealed that she had told Vernon that Lily, after a misspent youth devoted to a life of crime, had been shipped off to St Agnes' Center for Incurably Criminal Girls to be rehabilitated, and that was why she was so rarely home and Petunia never spoke of her.

"Oh Petunia, how could you?" Mrs. Evans exclaimed, covering her face with her hands in embarrassment.

"How could you tell such a horrible lie about your own sister?" demanded Mr. Evans angrily.

"And what should I have told him?" Petunia spat bitterly. "The truth? Ought I to have told him that my sister is…is…some sort of unnatural _freak_? That when she goes off to school every fall she goes to that wicked place where they teach her to turn people into toads and God knows what else and that she does it with your blessing? At least the story I told Vernon could happen to normal people." Petunia turned to Lily. "_Why_ can't you just be _normal_?" she had hissed, then fled from the room.

The rows between Petunia and her parents had gone on for days, but in the end Petunia didn't tell Vernon the truth, which meant Lily had spent much of her summer in the same house with someone who believed her to be a hardened criminal. Vernon always eyed Lily suspiciously, as if she might suddenly tie them all up and graffiti filthy words on the sitting room wall before riding off on a motorcycle with her heavily tattooed boyfriend named Butch. 

Then, two weeks before Lily was due to return to Hogwarts, Vernon proposed, which meant the last two weeks of Lily's holiday were spent listening to Petunia's shrill excited squeals and Vernon's blustering to her father about his financial prospects and honorable intentions, and watching her sister and Vernon make increasingly nauseating calf eyes at each other across the table as they planned an elaborate, showy wedding for the following summer.

Looking at her mother across an enormous pile of cotton candy-tinted tulle on the day before she was due to return to school, Lily worked up the nerve to ask the question that had been in her mind since the "happy announcement," as Vernon kept calling it.

"Mum…?" Lily began hesitantly, continuing to tie pieces of tulle into little bows for Petunia's invitations, "Do you and Dad really approve of Vernon for Petunia?"

Mrs. Evans sighed and paused for a moment before answering "Yes, I suppose we do."

"But why? _How_?" demanded Lily, attempting to comprehend the situation. "You can't actually _like_ him."

"No, I can't say that we do," Mrs. Evans replied with a smile. "But he'll give her the kind of life she wants. Normalcy is very important to Petunia, and it seems it is to Vernon as well. They'll have a nice normal life together. Not everyone is as extraordinary as you are, my dear," Mrs. Evans smiled lovingly at her younger daughter. "Not everyone has abilities like yours. But as long as they're happy, it doesn't matter. Vernon makes your sister happy and she loves him, and that's what counts. They fit together, Lily."

Fit together indeed; Lily could picture their life together now: Vernon blustering about his day at the office and the eejits in Parliament and Petunia, happy to be away from her freakish younger sister, holding her breath over Vernon's every word while she got him his drink. Though it was completely beyond Lily how anyone could want that sort of life for themselves, it seemed that her sister did. It was with great relief that Lily crossed through the barriers between platforms nine and ten at King's Cross Station on September 1st to return to Hogwarts, where life made sense.


	3. A Bittersweet Reunion

Author's Note: I don't own anything you recognize.  
  
Chapter 2 A Bittersweet Reunion  
  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
  
Lily Evans flopped backwards onto her four-poster bed with a sigh. She was completely exhausted after the long train ride, the Welcome Feast, and her prefect duties and thoroughly troubled by the amount of students who were missing from Hogwarts' numbers. As a Muggle born, it was easy for Lily to avoid the harsher realities of the wizarding world; during holidays she went home to Surrey where people had never even heard of wizards, much less any evil ones; her family was unaffected by Voldemort's reign of terror. Even when she was part of the magical community, she was within the relative safety of Hogwarts' walls; people said that where Dumbledore was would be the only safe place in the wizarding world because Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort had ever feared.  
  
Dumbledore. Yet another concern to add to a growing list. Lily could never recall Dumbledore looking as old as he had that evening at the feast. And that chilled Lily to the bone. Who could get wizardkind through this horrible situation if Dumbledore wasn't there to?  
  
Lily's thoughts were interrupted by the entrance of three of her roommates, Morwenna Marchbanks, Dorcas Meadows, and Alice Prewett, looking as grim as Lily felt. The three girls had been in the Gryffindor common room catching up on any gossip they had missed at the feast, and by the expressions on their faces, Lily gathered that it had not been the trifling sort that usually spread through schools.  
  
"Bad news?" Lily inquired apprehensively, sitting up. Morwenna sighed and made her way to her bed opposite Lily's before answering.  
  
"Well, it's never good news anymore, is it? Frank Longbottom was telling us that there are two more missing from our year, from Ravenclaw. Dorothy Doge, she and her family went into hiding, people think, and Ronan Digby, no one knows what happened to him."  
  
"Two more from Ravenclaw, that makes eight all together," Lily mused, ticking them off on her fingers. "Eleven Hufflepuffs, and of course the six Gryffindors, and we don't really know about the first years."  
  
"Notice Slytherin doesn't seem to have too many missing from its numbers," Dorcas commented dryly from her seat on the bed next to Lily's. "I bet Bellatrix Black or Erebus Avery could tell us something about Ronan Digby or any of the others."  
  
The girls fell silent for a few minutes, all lost in their own trains of thought.  
  
"Er. would it be terrible of me to change the subject?" Alice finally asked in a timid voice.  
  
"I could definitely do with a lighter topic," Lily said, smiling at Alice.  
  
"You know Lils, Frank Longbottom told us a few other things as well," Morwenna said coyly. "About a certain party we all know."  
  
Eager for some lighter gossip, Lily leaned forward. "And who might that be?" she asked, amused.  
  
"Why, James Potter of course," replied Morwenna innocently, ignoring Lily's grimace of repugnance. "Rumor has it that he's still professing his love for you."  
  
"Not that git! Why do the dreadful ones always fancy me? None of the fellows I would choose to date over an early death ever step up," Lily said in tones of deep disgust.  
  
"You have had some rotten luck, Lils," Alice chuckled. "Remember in second year when." she trailed off as Lily shot her a filthy look.  
  
"Oh come off it Lily!" Morwenna exclaimed. "He may be a bit of a prat and a definite show off, but you'd rather face an early death than go on one date with him? How can you hate someone so much that you don't even really know?"  
  
"It's the way he treats people that I don't like," Lily explained. "Take the way he treated Severus Snape last year, for example. Snape may be a slimeball who knows a questionably large amount about the Dark Arts, but what was he doing to Potter to deserve to be publicly humiliated? Potter goes about hexing and humiliating weaker people just because he can, and that's cowardly and cruel. I don't want to know Potter any better; he's a bullying wanker who needs someone to cut him down to a proper size."  
  
"I think Lily has a point," Alice spoke up in her quiet way. "The way people treat other people does say loads about them."  
  
"And I think Potter isn't as black - no pun intended- as he's painted," Morwenna held her ground. "I've known James for years, and he has his faults, but I don't think he's all you say he is, Lily."  
  
"Er.maybe you lot should agree to disagree," said Dorcas hastily, recognizing the stubborn look in Lily's eyes.  
  
"As long as no one makes me go out with him, I can do that," Lily said, shrugging. She didn't intend to change her mind, but she hardly considered James Potter a subject worth fighting with a long-standing friend over.  
  
Morwenna too shrugged her shoulders and the arrival of Kathleen Kirkpatrick, the fifth and final roommate, put a stop to that particular conversation as the girls settled into what promised to be a long conversation.  
  
* * *  
  
Severus Snape watched through veiled eyes as a few of his straggling housemates scuttled up the stairs to their respective dormitories. In a long list of unwritten rules that governed the codes of conduct within Slytherin House, this one was near the top: never eavesdrop on a meeting in the common room to which you haven't been invited. That rule was especially true of this meeting of a very select few individuals.  
  
Some of the best bloodlines in all of wizardkind were represented tonight: Black, Lestrange, Avery, and of course, Snape. All ancient names, all powerful, and, naturally, all pure.  
  
Names were never listed when these meetings were called. Whoever was calling it - usually Bellatrix Black - would simply tell the others to pass the word along to a "select few."  
  
And those few never changed. Always it was the seven of them: Bellatrix Black, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, Evan Rosier, Seth Wilkes, Erebus Avery, and himself, Severus Snape.  
  
They had banded together during their years in Slytherin House due to their common interests, their common abilities, their mutual benefit - and, of course, due to the Dark Lord's common interest in their progress.  
  
Once they left Hogwarts, their real education would begin - in how to best please the Dark Lord. Then they would all take their places at his side and help to bring about the new order. They had been selected to be his elite, to be his most faithful followers.  
  
Bellatrix Black leaned forward and began speaking in a soft tone that seemed to carry nonetheless. "I'll make this brief, we wouldn't want to draw any unnecessary attention."  
  
As Bellatrix's smothered voice droned on, Severus allowed his attention to wander around the room to the others present at this gathering. All listened with keen attention to Bellatrix's plans for recruitment of new people to their ranks, took malicious glee in Wikes's account of a Muggle-baiting he had taken part in. Snape could have cared less about any of these things.  
  
Muggle-baiting held no temptation for him - he had something of a distaste for it, actually. The purity of wizarding bloodlines was a concern, but not a pressing one. Stupidity and ineptness were the real crimes as far as Severus was concerned, and Snape had certainly encountered enough wizards with ancient bloodlines who were both. Also, when it came down to it, Snape did not care terribly about converting other "suitable" wizards to their cause. None of these things were what attracted Snape to Voldemort's ranks.  
  
It was immortality, the promise of power over life and death itself, that drew Severus like a moth to the flame of Voldemort's vision. Immortality, power - the ability to seize fame and glory, to stem the tides of death, and Voldemort's devotion to these goals intrigued Severus. They were heights he aspired to himself, that he attempted to explore through potion brewing and his studies of Occlumency and the Dark Arts.  
  
Voldemort realized that Severus Snape shared his obsessions, and could become a valuable asset in his attainment of them. So he took an interest in Snape's progress through Hogwarts, made certain that other key individuals were aware of Snape's potential and of Voldemort's interest in him. Thus Snape held a position of some prestige in Slytherin House; the others respected him for his abilities and intelligence, a respect that had only been intensified by his appointment as prefect the previous year, recognizing him as an equal and as one of those within Voldemort's chosen circle.  
  
Snape was not ungrateful for this elevation in his status; he knew full well that if not for Voldemort's interest in him, he would be a target for those within Slytherin as well as for those outside it, particularly the Gryffindors. But Snape, skeptical by nature, was leery of the blind, unswerving, unquestioning devotion most of the others felt. Nothing, as far as Snape was concerned, merited such complete faith.  
  
Snape was broken out of his reverie by the shuffling noises the others were making, a clear indication that the meeting was over and it was time to depart. Severus was just about to rise and return to his dormitory when Rodolphus Lestrange's voice cut across the noise.  
  
"Snape, Avery.a word?" Snape nodded once and stepped off to the side where Lestrange, Bellatrix, and Avery were waiting.  
  
Rodolphus Lestrange was a seventh year, tall, handsome, cold, and fleet as quicksilver in all aspects of both his physicality and personality. He and Bellatrix Black had had a deeply twisted, though bizarrely devoted, relationship for the past two years, and possibly longer. Severus supposed he shouldn't have been so surprised by the pair's capacity for devotion; after all, they were two of Voldemort's most devout followers.  
  
Bellatrix, hovering within arm's length of Lestrange as usual, her fingers caressing his left forearm. Snape felt a sudden twinge of annoyance; he was in no mood to play his housemates' usual games, not when the hour was already late and he had a number of things he wanted to do before going to bed.  
  
"Well, Rodolphus?" Snape inquired coolly, letting his impatience show.  
  
Bellatrix Black gave him a psychotic, smug little smile that was in some bizarre way almost maternal. "Severus has no time for us, my love," she addressed Lestrange, her tone complacent, everything about her inner glee reminding Snape of a cat who has just devoured some coveted treat. "Let's show them then, shall we?"  
  
Without further warning, Bellatrix pulled up the left arm of Rodolphus' black robes, revealing a small black skull with a snake protruding from its mouth like a tongue burned into Lestrange's forearm. The burn looked to be fresh; it still had an angry red outline to it, suggesting it might still be painful. If it did hurt, Rodolphus didn't show it; he maintained his usual cold, deadly demeanor.  
  
"You know what this is, of course," Rodolphus stated flatly. Avery nodded slowly, but Snape did not move a muscle. "The Dark Lord chose to honor me with this symbol of trust, of brotherhood only four days ago. He also wants you to know that you too will be honored." Lestrange looked from one to the other, a fanatical gleam in his eye that reminded Snape forcibly of Bellatrix. "He feels you are ready, are worthy of his ultimate trust." Lestrange once again fixed them with his quick, probing gaze. "And, if you are indeed worthy of that trust, you won't hesitate in the face of such an honor." Lestrange's gaze came to rest on Snape.  
  
Snape wasn't thick; he recognized a warning when he heard one. Voldemort might have been convinced of Snape's mettle, but Lestrange wasn't. Snape knew he didn't show the devotion that the others did, was frankly contemptuous of some of their beliefs and ideas, and Lestrange was suspicious of that.  
  
'Get in line and wave the flag,' Lestrange's cold gaze said as plainly as words ever could have. 'Or the Dark Lord will hear about my suspicions.'  
  
Snape didn't let his gaze waver for an instant as he cocked a brow at Lestrange before sweeping past him toward the stairway, averting his gaze as Bellatrix began to lick her way around Lestrange's mark. Avery hastened after him, seemingly too honored by his good fortune for words and clearly, like Snape, not wanting to bear witness to Lestrange's and Black's twisted sex life any longer than necessary. Silence suited Severus for the moment, he too was preoccupied by his thoughts.  
  
Voldemort had earned his trust and his devotion, Snape did not waver from that conviction. But the Dark Mark would bring with it an entirely new set of expectations and duties, ones that Snape did not know if he was ready for.  
  
Or even, he reflected, if he wanted to be ready for them. 


	4. Unwelcome Proposals

Chapter 3 Unwelcome Proposals  
  
Author's Note: Same as usual; Harry Potter isn't mine, it's JK Rowling's  
  
Yawning, Lily Evans shuffled down the stairs on her way to breakfast in the Great Hall. Although it was only October, not to mention only sixth year, most of the Hogwarts professors had been piling the homework onto the sixth years in preparation for NEWTS. As a result of this in addition to her prefect duties, Lily hadn't gotten much sleep of late. She had finally slept in a bit this morning, but she was still exhausted and had a prefect meeting about the Hogsmeade weekend on the 31st and the following Halloween feast as well as plenty of delayed homework to look forward to today. Also, Lily reflected, pushing open the doors of the Great Hall, she wanted to get that letter off to her parents and possibly make a start on the Potions essay due the following week.  
  
Lily's reverie was interrupted by the realization that the Hufflepuff table seemed to be greatly excited by her presence, for some reason. They were all whispering excitedly and gesturing towards her, and several of the girls looked quite militant.  
  
Uneasy, Lily began to make her way to the Gryffindor table but as she approached the agitated Hufflepuffs, one of them, a seventh year Lily vaguely recognized as Gilderoy Lockhart, stood up and bestowed upon Lily what he considered to be a dazzling smile. Uneasily, Lily moved forward a few more paces, unsure of what this strange behavior could mean.  
  
Lockhart adjusted his already immaculate school robes and gave his perfectly coifed hair a pat before speaking in a jovial, booming voice.  
  
"Lily Evans?" Lockhart began with another toothy grin. "Today is your lucky day because today your long unrequited dream is finally coming true," Lockhart paused for dramatic effect, which was quite unnecessary as he had the entire hall's avid attention. Lily's face was so flushed it literally felt as though it were on fire.  
  
Lockhart took Lily's hand and began to bring it to his lips to kiss it, but Lily's look of horrified outrage and implied menace stopped him, so he held onto it rather awkwardly, looking momentarily at a loss.  
  
Unfortunately Lockhart regained his composure and continued with his embarrassing declaration. "Lily, I am smitten by your pealing laughter and fiery beauty. Quite simply you have taken my heart by surprise and it can be silent no longer. It cries out to you and you must answer its call. Lily Evans, in front of all of our friends, peers, esteemed professors and other well wishers, will you accompany me to the Hogsmeade weekend?"  
  
"Forgive me if I have taken you by surprise, clearly you are overwhelmed by your good fortune," Lockhart added as an afterthought when Lily didn't immediately respond. For her part, Lily, dumbfounded by the level of humiliation she was experiencing, was trying desperately to get control of her rage.  
  
Lily yanked her hand from Lockhart's ridiculous grasp and took a deep breath.  
  
"NO!" Lily shouted at the top of her lungs before turning on her heel and dashing out of the Great Hall.  
  
"I'll, er, give you some time to think it over, shall I?" Lockhart called weakly after her retreating back. He then turned back to his avid audience, most of whom had begun to snigger. "Women," Lockhart chuckled unconvincingly. "Always have to play hard to get, eh?" With that Lockhart sat back down looking rather dejected where at least half of Hufflepuff's female population, who looked considerably more cheery than they had at Lily's arrival, did their best to comfort him.  
  
Over at the Gryffindor table, Sirius was splitting his sides with laughter at the scene that had just transpired.  
  
"Did.......you.....see....Evans'....face? gasped Sirius between chuckles. "I....thought....she.......was going.....to.....pop!" Sirius doubled over as a new wave of mirth hit him. Morwenna Marchbanks shot him a look of deep disgust before rising to find Lily.  
  
"Come on....it was.....funny...she.....looked.....like.....a....Chinese.....Fireball!"  
  
Alice Prewett frowned across the table at Sirius, a look of indecision on her face. After another moment of his wheezing, she seemed to come to some conclusion, then kicked Sirius swiftly in the shins before following Morwenna.  
  
"OW!" Sirius howled, all trace of mirth forgotten. "Well it was funny!" he defended himself to James, who looked severely out of sorts.  
  
"Shut it, Padfoot!" James snapped, turning to face the Great Hall's entrance.  
  
"She didn't have to kick me!" Sirius turned to Remus.  
  
Remus merely shook his head. "I would've done it myself, Padfoot, but she beat me to it." This statement was accompanied by vigorous nods from Kathleen Kirkpatrick and Dorcas Meadows, both of whom scowled at Sirius menacingly.  
  
"I thought it was funny," Peter offered comfortingly.  
  
Somehow, this failed to console Sirius.  
  
In Gryffindor Tower, Lily was pacing the sixth year girls' dormitory furiously, her face still flushed, as Alice and Morwenna looked on from one of the beds.  
  
"How dare that prat humiliate me in front of the ENTIRE SCHOOL?" Lily stormed, not for the first time.  
  
"Er.....I think he thought it was romantic," Morwenna offered hesitantly.  
  
"Since when do romance and public humiliation go together? Even Professor Dumbledore chuckled!" Lily shrieked.  
  
"Since it's Lockhart The Giant Prat," Alice pointed out in reply to Lily's first statement. "And Professor Dumbledore did NOT chuckle."  
  
"Yes he did!" Lily insisted. "I saw him!"  
  
"Well if he did it was at Gilderoy and not at you, it wasn't your fault he's an arrogant berk," Alice soothed.  
  
"How will I ever show my face outside of this room again?" Lily moaned, burying her face in her hands. "The entire school is laughing at me."  
  
Just then the door opened to reveal Kathleen and Dorcas, bearing food and drink and just in time to hear Lily's last comment.  
  
"The entire school is not laughing at you," Dorcas said firmly. "Just Sirius Black and Alice kicked him hard in the shin; that shut him up in a right hurry." The others giggled as Alice blushed, looking slightly abashed.  
  
"Did you really kick him?" Morwenna asked incredulously.  
  
"She certainly did," Kathleen said proudly, putting her arm around Alice's shoulder.  
  
"It was a great moment for womankind," Dorcas chuckled. "Giving a little back for all the pain he's caused witches everywhere." The girls giggled again, their mood considerably lightened as Kathleen and Dorcas began handing round the toast, scones, and pumpkin juice.  
  
Despite their differences and popular wisdom that girls can't get along in a group setting, the five Gryffindor sixth year girls got on remarkably well together; were all fairly close friends in fact who regularly stuck together against the randy and rowdy Marauders, the catty Slytherin girls, and any other random prats who cared to try their collective patience.  
  
And they were most definitely diverse. Alice, with her cherubic face, wispy blonde hair, blue button eyes, and sympathetic air, was everyone's favorite confidante and surprisingly determined under her mostly sweet demeanor. Dorcas, a doe-eyed, caramel-skinned witch, was quick-witted and sarcastic, Kathleen, a halfblood witch with a bubbly, ebullient personality, was a social butterfly and source of all Hogwarts gossip. Morwenna was the sophisticate and unspoken group leader, and Lily was the acknowledged brain whose unfortunate luck in the romance department quite often had the others on the defensive.  
  
"I suppose Potter was laughing right there alongside Black," Lily said with a shudder after a bit.  
  
"Actually he looked pretty put out," Kathleen replied, brushing some crumbs off of her robes.  
  
"He's probably just sorry that Lockhart did it first," Lily snorted, her anger beginning to return. "And that still brings us to the problem of how in the bloody hell I'm supposed to show my face 'round here again."  
  
"Mostly everyone will be laughing at Lockhart, not you," Dorcas pointed out reasonably.  
  
"The Slytherins might take the mickey out of you a bit, but they're such utter asses anyway you can't expect much better," Morwenna amended Dorcas' statement.  
  
"Brilliant! Just bloody brilliant! I can't show my face around Hogwarts again because of Lockhart, and I can't even strangle him for it without being sent to Azkaban to rot. " Lily exclaimed, frustrated.  
  
"Look on the bright side, Lils," Dorcas drawled in a dry tone. "At least in Azkaban you won't have to face anyone but the dementors, and as far as I know they haven't heard about this little episode yet."  
  
Lily wisely decided to barricade herself in her room for the better part of the day, but she couldn't hide indefinitely. For one thing, she couldn't miss her prefect meeting, and she reckoned the sooner she faced the rest of the world the sooner the whispering would stop.  
  
Still, Lily crept down to the common room at about quarter to seven that evening filled with trepidation. How many people were in the common room? Cautiously she peered around the corner.  
  
Damn her luck, but all four of the Marauders were in the common room, Sirius surrounded by his usual pack of girls, and a few others were scattered around the room as well. Lily made to duck back around the corner and up the stairs to find an alternate route out of Gryffindor tower, through the window if necessary, but it was too late. She had been spotted.  
  
"Oy! Evans!" Sirius bellowed. "Sneaking off to answer the call of Lockhart's heart?" Most of the assembled Gryffindors burst into laughter.  
  
"Why don't you go Stupefy yourself Black?" Lily snapped, blushing as red as her hair and making her way to the portrait hole as quickly as possible.  
  
"Seems she is indeed as fiery as 'fiery beauty' implies, eh?" Sirius drawled, folding his arms as the girls around him twittered. Lily spun around.  
  
"And how is your shin, Black?" Lily inquired sweetly. "I do hope Alice didn't go too hard on you." With that parting shot, Lily pushed the portrait open and hurried out into the corridor, leaving a scowling Sirius and a blushing Alice in her wake.  
  
"Wow," said Frank Longbottom in genuine awe and glanced around at Alice, who blushed even more.  
  
"Serves you right, mate," Remus said, nudging Sirius' shoulder on his way to the portrait hole.  
  
"That's loyalty for you. I like that!" Sirius turned indignantly to James, who was scowling as well.  
  
"Just shut it Padfoot," James growled and stormed upstairs, leaving Sirius to be comforted by the crowd of girls, who were the only ones not sniggering at Sirius for having been gotten the best of by sweet little Alice Prewett.  
  
James slammed the dormitory door shut behind him and kicked the nearest pile of clothes out of his way before pacing the room restlessly, some very conflicting emotions churning around in his gut.  
  
First off, he was ragingly, and even he had to admit, ridiculously jealous over this whole Lockhart affair. How dare that wanker attempt to claim his property in front of the entire school? His intended property at any rate, James amended.  
  
Also, it was perfectly clear how upset Lily was over the whole disastrous episode, which consequently upset James. Even though he did love to watch her get so spitting mad, her eyes flashing, fists clenched, her posture ramrod straight. James loved her when she was her usual poised self as well, the envy of every girl, the object of every boy's affection, and she herself ignoring it all, just so graceful and perfect and at ease. It was great fun to watch her lose that exterior.  
  
But not like this. Not with her shaking hands and voice and her humiliation and apprehension clear in every line of her body, every gesture, every word and expression.  
  
Then, of course, Sirius has to be so sarcastic and blatantly sexual and just so damned, well - Sirius and upset Lily even further. For the first time in his life, James disliked his best friend. How could he kick Lily when she was down, so to speak? It had been cruel, and all just to get a laugh from a few random people in the common room.  
  
The door creaked open to reveal Sirius lounging casually in the doorframe.  
  
"What's eating you, mate, as if I didn't already know?" Sirius inquired, advancing into the room to lean against the far wall.  
  
"Nothing, not that you should care," James muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sirius cocked an eyebrow.  
  
"What do you think it means? Why'd you say those things to Lily just now? Why were you laughing at her earlier?"  
  
"Look, Prongs, sorry if I offended you or was out of line. Really I am." Sirius moved into the room. "But take a step back, mate. You'd've been laughing right there alongside me if it'd been anyone but Evans."  
  
James' shoulders slumped in defeat, knowing that his best friend was right. Still, he scowled at Sirius anyway, for appearances' sake.  
  
"That's all right, Prongs," Sirius grinned magnanimously. "You've been mad about Evans since you were eleven years old, it's bound to bring out your softer side eventually. But honestly, James," Sirius' tone sobered. "This could be your chance to show Evans that you're not the great prat she thinks you are."  
  
How exactly?" James asked, skeptical.  
  
Sirius grinned. "Well, I was out of line, wasn't I?" James nodded, puzzled. "So go apologize for me."  
  
James' infectious grin, the one few people saw without its customary touch of arrogance, widened. "I think I just might. Thanks, Padfoot."  
  
Unfortunately, the teasing got a lot worse before it got better. Lily seemed to be getting an equally large share of it as Lockhart, which meant Lily spent the next few days with a constant tension, a perpetual bad mood, and an overheated sensation from the constant, violent blushing at some of her peers' randier comments.  
  
By Friday afternoon Lily had had just about enough and was ready to hex the next person who spoke to her. So when she heard an "All right, Evans?" behind her on her way back to the Gryffindor common room, she swung around with her wand at the ready and the incantation for the Bat Bogey Hex on the tip of her tongue, to face...... James Potter.  
  
"Take it easy, Evans," James said with a lopsided grin, backing away slowly from her wand tip.  
  
"Ugh, I'm really in no fit state to deal with YOU right now, so let's just make this easy on both of us, shall we?" Lily's temper had finally snapped, as it tended to do in James' presence, and she was determined to take no prisoners. "So to answer the questions you were just about to ask me, yes, I am on my way right now to shag Lockhart senseless, yes, that IS his heart calling to mine that you hear, and yes, we have set a wedding date. In fact, I want you to be the ringbearer. So if we've covered it, I think I'll just be on my way, wouldn't want to keep darling Gilderoy waiting too long, especially when we could be shagging like animals."  
  
Taking a deep breath, Lily turned on her heel and was just about to walk down the corridor as quickly as her dignity would allow when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.  
  
"No, it's just.....er....." James ran his hand through his hair yet again, causing Lily to grit her teeth in irritation. "It's just that I wanted to apologize for what Sirius said and did the other night. In the common room. He's my best mate and all, but he can be a bit of a prat sometimes and, well, he was out of line. You shouldn't have to worry about your own house turning on you." James stopped, waiting in agony for what Lily would say next.  
  
"Thanks," Lily said very softly, twisting a lock of that fascinating scarlet hair around her finger and shifting her weight from foot to foot.  
  
James was completely flabbergasted. She had thanked him! Civilly! Without sarcasm! It was such a heady feeling, in fact, that he felt all of the cockiness Lily deplored rising to the surface.  
  
"You know, Evans," James purred in a seductive tone, leaning ever so slightly closer with his trademark audacious grin. "There is a way to stop all of this teasing and to prevent that wanker Lockhart from ever bothering you again." James paused and Lily rolled her eyes, knowing what was coming, yet was powerless to stop it.  
  
"If you were my girlfriend," James continued, mussing his hair with his hand again. "Lockhart and all of those berks giving you grief about him would leave you alone because they all know that I'd hex the living shit out of anyone who-"  
  
"We've been over this Potter," Lily cut him off in an exaggeratedly patient, listen-with-mother tone, her vivid green eyes flashing fire. "I. Will. Never. Be. Your. Girlfriend."  
  
"Did anyone ever tell you you're beautiful when you're patronizing me?" James smirked, his heart rolling over yet again.  
  
"OH!!!" Lily couldn't remember ever wanting to hit somebody more in her entire life and that included Petunia, which said very much about her feelings indeed. "You, you, arrogant......presumptuous......" Lily's ability to form coherent sentences seemed to have deserted her.  
  
"You know what you need, Evans?" James' seductive tone seemed to have, if possible, intensified. "A good shag. It would do wonders for your relaxation, not to mention this hostility you seem to be suppressing."  
  
That just about tore it. Lily knew she had to get out of there before she did something rash.  
  
"A good shag you say," Lily mused, feigning a detachment she definitely did not feel. "Well, even if I did, it certainly wouldn't be with YOU because, you see, I'd just as soon SHAG THE GIANT SQUID!!!!"  
  
With that, Lily stormed off down the hall, leaving James crestfallen and momentarily at a loss behind her. But only momentarily.  
  
"I'm sure that could be arranged," James called after her. "He could use a good shag!!"  
  
But if Lily heard him, she gave no indication. 


	5. Face Offs and Fiascoes

Author's Note: Once again, I don't own Harry Potter  
  
Chapter 4 Face Offs and Fiascoes  
  
The long-awaited Hogsmeade outing followed by the Halloween feast had finally arrived and the usual anticipatory buzz filled the Great Hall as every third year and above discussed their plans with their housemates over breakfast. Some were filled with virtuous excitement at the prospect of visiting Honeydukes, Zonko's, and The Three Broomsticks. Some, however, were looking forward to Hogsmeade's less innocent amenities, i.e. the prospect of unsupervised snogging in Madam Puddifoot's and any other semi- private corner of the town.  
  
"Is it something they put in the pumpkin juice, d'you think?" Lily mused as she and her roommates watched yet another nervous, giggling girl, the third as far as they knew, confirm her rendezvous with Sirius Black in Hogsmeade, then giggle even more as Sirius did some confirming of his own.  
  
"What, something they put in the pumpkin juice to make every girl with the correct parts turn into a twittering ninny around Sirius Black or something they put in the pumpkin juice to turn ordinarily sensible, normal people into randy tossers at the prospect of a few unsupervised hours? Morwenna wanted clarification.  
  
"Erm.both, I suppose," Lily replied upon further reflection.  
  
"Hate to break it to you, Lils," Dorcas quipped. "But nature took care of that without the need to put anything in the pumpkin juice."  
  
"Hey Evans," an all-too-familiar voice behind Lily said.  
  
Resigned to her fate, Lily turned around. "Did you want something, Potter?" she inquired in her most quelling tone, one eyebrow cocked.  
  
"I just thought I'd ask you to go to Hogsmeade with me one last time, as it doesn't seem things are working out with the giant squid," James answered, trademark grin plainly in evidence.  
  
Lily snorted and took a deep breath. "What makes you think that I'd change my mind and go with you? Are we the last man and woman on earth?"  
  
"If I said yes would you go out with me? Strictly for the sake of the species, necessary procreation and all that." James quipped, running his hand through his hair again.  
  
"All good things must come to an end, and I'd say mankind had a pretty fair run," Lily retorted, then turned away to talk to Kathleen, clearly indicating that the conversation was finished as far as she was concerned. Though Morwenna gave him a slightly sympathetic smile, there was nothing left for James to do but walk away and hope that he might run into Lily later.  
  
* * *  
  
"Explain to me one more time why exactly you lot are tagging along on my date," Sirius complained again. He was meeting his first date, to use the term loosely, in The Three Broomsticks, and unexpectedly Remus, Peter, and James had decided to tag along.  
  
Though the four generally spent these Hogsmeade days together, this time the plan had been for Remus, James, and Peter to go along and buy a few items the four of them would need for the Halloween feast later on as Sirius already had his time well accounted for with three dates, or more accurately, snogging appointments, scheduled for today.  
  
Remus snorted at Sirius' use of the word date. "It's hardly a date when there are three in one day. Why not call a snogging session a snogging session?"  
  
"Wow, three? Out of curiosity, where are the other two?" Peter asked, impressed.  
  
"Poor Wormtail, always the voyeur and never the voy-ee," was Sirius' only response.  
  
Though he complained that he didn't know why his friends were tagging along, Sirius wasn't thick. He knew perfectly well why they were there, and Remus and James did too. As for Peter, well, he had always been a bit slow on the uptake, or slower than the others at any rate.  
  
Sirius knew as well as James did that Frank Longbottom, the Marauders' fifth roommate, had asked Alice Prewett to go to Hogsmeade with him and that she had accepted. And Alice, being rather shy and also a good friend of Lily Evans' might very well have asked Lily to accompany her to the pub to meet her date, and James would do anything for the opportunity to see and, if he could help it, impress Lily Evans.  
  
From their vantage point at the bar, the Marauders could see all around the pub as well as anyone who came in. Frank Longbottom was already sitting rather apprehensively at a table by the window and a few tables away sat Kathleen Kirkpatrick, also on a date, as it happened, with a seventh year Ravenclaw. Alice, and anyone else who might be accompanying her, hadn't yet arrived, but James was scanning the room anyway as though he was afraid he might miss her. Remus, who fancied Kirkpatrick a bit, was watching her smile and chat with her date out of the corner of his eye. Peter, always the thickest of the lot, seemed oblivious to his mates' restless eyes and was eyeing some Hufflepuff girls across the way with slightly bored attention.  
  
A sorry lot, those two, Sirius thought, watching Remus and James instead of looking out for his date. It's much easier really to snog the ones who're willing to with no strings attached. Doesn't do at all to get drawn in by these unattainable girls  
  
* * *  
  
Alice was so nervous over her first date with Frank Longbottom that she had extracted promises a week before the actual date from Lily and Morwenna to walk her there.  
  
Now the day had arrived and Lily and Morwenna were carrying out their promise before spending their day doing some much-anticipated shopping. They were slightly late and hurrying through the streets of Hogsmeade toward The Three Broomsticks, doing their best to reassure Alice, who was looking rather peaky.  
  
"He's mad about you, anyone can see that, so all you have to do is relax and be yourself and it'll be great," Morwenna encouraged.  
  
"Why did I agree to this?" Alice moaned. "I really fancy him, what if it's a disaster?"  
  
"It won't be," Lily reassured her friend.  
  
The girls rounded another corner to meet an unwelcome and unexpected sight that caused Morwenna to put on her haughtiest expression, Alice to pale even further, and Lily to stiffen her spine: Bellatrix Black with a pack of Slytherin girls in tow.  
  
Generally, Bellatrix spent Hogsmeade weekends with Rodolphus Lestrange, but he had been restricted from going to Hogsmeade and forced to serve a day-long detention instead as punishment for badly hexing a first year Mudblood. As a result, Bellatrix had an entire day to cool her heels with some of her female companions on their shopping excursions, and already she was badly in need of a diversion. The appearance of Mudblood Evans and her Gryffindor minions offered the perfect opportunity for some sport.  
  
"If it isn't the Mudblood and the blood traitors," Bellatrix sneered cattily, a malicious gleam in her eyes.  
  
"What do you want, Black?" Morwenna cocked an eyebrow at Bellatrix, her face impassive.  
  
"What do I want?" Bellatrix tilted her head to one side in a twisted imitation of innocence. "Nothing more than to offer a friendly warning to the lot of you. You may want to inform your little chum Evans here of what she is and what we do to her kind who have designs above their station. Lockhart may be a fool, but he's pure, and as such that filthy Mudblood has no right to him."  
  
"Lockhart is a complete and utter git who would be luckier than he deserves if Lily decided to look in his direction," Alice spoke up though she was clearly frightened. "If he's your idea of purity then I don't think much of your judgement."  
  
"You're worse than a Mudblood, you disgusting blood traitor," Bellatrix hissed, menace plain in every facet of her psychotic expression. "Your kind will get their due when the Dark Lord-"  
  
"Dark Lord? Do you mean that nutter Voldemort?" Lily cut in, her contempt thick in her voice. "He's nothing more than a common murderer."  
  
"And he'll murder you," Bellatrix said with calm conviction, as though she were discussing the weather or something equally trivial. "He will dispose of, is disposing of, all those who are unworthy and he'll purge our race of all of its impurities. Not just the Mudbloods. Oh no. The Dark Lord is much more far-sighted than that. He'll dispose of you and your family, Marchbanks, of you and yours, Prewett, especially the sainted Gideon and Fabian."  
  
Alice looked sickened by Bellatrix's matter-of-fact tone. "You're psychotic," she stated flatly.  
  
Bellatrix laughed, a high-pitched, spine-chilling sound. "Does the ickle blood traitor want to play with me? Go on, I'm game. I could use the practice." Bellatrix withdrew her wand from her sleeve so quickly there was almost no time to react. She grinned maniacally, plainly savoring what she was about to do.  
  
Reacting on pure reflex, Lily pulled her wand from the pocket of her robes, pointed it at Bellatrix, and shouted "Expelliarmus!" as loudly as she could.  
  
Bellatrix stumbled backward, staggered by the impact of the spell, as her wand went sailing into Lily's outstretched hand. By now a few of her cronies were fumbling around their carrier bags for their own wands, but Alice, Morwenna, and Lily had theirs trained on the Slytherins, their expressions serious. Dorcas, passing by and noticing the fray, came running up, her own wand drawn, and joined the Gryffindor ranks.  
  
Furious as a child at being thwarted, Bellatrix's expression was murderous. "You will pay dearly for that, Evans," Bellatrix hissed. "You always have to pay the piper, Mudblood, and today's work has cost you very dearly indeed."  
  
Lily tossed Bellatrix's wand a ways down the street, frankly contemptuous of the other girl, and continued on the route to The Three Broomsticks, the other Gryffindors following in her wake, wands still trained on the Slytherins.  
  
"What was that all about?" Dorcas demanded, looking from Lily to Morwenna to Alice and back again.  
"Can't say that I know," Morwenna replied rather shakily. "Far as we can tell, Black seemed to take exception to Gilderoy's interest in Lily, except she was accusing Lily of 'having designs above her station' or some such rubbish."  
  
"And tossing about a lot of filthy names," Lily added grimly, her jaw set.  
  
"Bellatrix called Alice and I blood traitors and Lily the M-word and told us what would happen to the lot of us when Voldemort is in control," Morwenna explained for Dorcas' benefit. Alice was walking determinedly but shakily on, her face white as a sheet, her mouth compressed. She looked a sight. They all must, Lily supposed.  
  
* * *  
  
In The Three Broomsticks, Sirius, still waiting for his first appointment, had finally caved under Peter's pestering and was telling the others where his other rendezvous were going to be held.  
  
"...Madam Puddifoot's at two, " Sirius was saying, "And then Honeyduke's at four."  
  
"Honeyduke's?" queried Remus, his interest piqued. "It's always packed and there're lots of breakable jars and things. How are you going to manage that?"  
  
"Store room," shrugged Sirius. "That was the whole reason I set up Honeyduke's last because then I can slip through the passage when I'm through and be back in time to help you lot get ready for tonight."  
  
"The STORE ROOM?" Remus said incredulously, looking thoroughly horrified. "You're going to snog and Merlin knows what else on top of the local candy supply? That's unhygienic, Padfoot, not to mention disgusting."  
  
"Most of it's wrapped," Sirius retorted defensively. "And it's not like I haven't done it before."  
  
Before Remus could react to that tidbit of information, the door of the pub opened and Lily Evans, Morwenna Marchbanks, Alice Prewett, and Dorcas Meadows came in, all looking quite grim and shaken.  
  
Kathleen, abandoning her table and date, hurried over to them. "What happened?" she exclaimed. "You lot look as though you've just been in a fight." Dorcas shushed her and the group made its way over to the table where Frank Longbottom was waiting, half out of his chair.  
  
"What happened?" he repeated, looking them all over, especially Alice, with concern. Noticing that much of the room, the Marauders included and James in particular, was straining to hear, Morwenna lowered her voice to a murmur and recounted the tale while the others looked on and occasionally interjected something.  
  
Frank and Kathleen looked horrified. "She actually had the nerve to say these things to you?" Kathleen was incredulous.  
  
"She's completely nutters," Alice stated. "Stark raving mad. She's so far 'round the bend I 'm not sure she even realized how psychotic she sounded."  
  
James, still at the bar, gave up trying to overhear their conversation. He would just have to get it from someone, probably Morwenna or Frank, later. He frowned worriedly at Lily who had been silent most of the time and only very occasionally joined in.  
  
Lily and the others finally got up to go and leave Frank and Alice to their somewhat ruined date, and James rose to leave as well. Remus and Peter, taking their cue from him, stood, ready to run their errands in preparation for what would happen later at the feast.  
  
* * *  
  
. Several hours later, the four Marauders returned to their dormitory, still chuckling and congratulating each other over their flawless execution of a highly complex prank at the Halloween feast earlier that night.  
  
The joke had been in the planning stages for weeks and had required heavy reconnaissance work, much research in a myriad of magical cookbooks, use of the Marauders' contacts in the kitchen as well as a good amount of sneaking around.  
  
Needless to say, they had loved every minute of it.  
  
Finally, every element of the plan had been put into place and Remus, Sirius, Peter, and James had had nothing to do but sit back and wait.  
  
The feast had started out normally enough with the traditional jack o' lanterns floating overhead and all of the tables festively decorated in orange and black. However, the feast was soon a total fiasco when the roasted Cornish game hens being served for dinner suddenly jumped up and ran whenever they saw a knife and fork overhead.  
  
The hall was in an uproar with Cornish game hens running up and down the tables, through serving dishes and people's dinners, usually with a student in hot pursuit. Some of the hens brandished dinner knives and took to dueling with students while some leapt onto the floor and made a break for the exit. A pack of first years had been scared witless when a gang of the hens chased them round and round the hall, pelting them with candy corn, and a sixth year Hufflepuff called Davy Gudgeon had gotten his own dinner knife in the leg from his particularly vicious hen.  
  
The professors' table hadn't been immune either; Professor McGonagall's took to throwing mashed potatoes and tiny Professor Flitwick was seized by four of the game hens and trussed up with dinner napkins. In attempting to rescue Flitwick, Professor Kettleburn got a roast potato in the eye and Professor Dumbledore's tall pointed hat was stolen and used as a kind of fort by a couple of the hens, who ducked behind it whenever anyone tried to return fire with their wands.  
  
"This was a bloody brilliant idea!" James called over the din to Sirius, who was engaged in an intense duel to the death with his hen.  
  
"Sure was," Sirius called back, having finally managed to Stun his hen and now helping Peter to deal with his, who was pelting Peter with every dinner roll in sight and now had him cornered under the table. "But give credit where it's due. Great idea, Moony!" he added as he picked up Peter's struggling bird gingerly by its wing and waited for Peter to Stun it.  
  
"I dunno.." Remus said uncertainly. "They're causing a lot more ruckus than I thought they would. Maybe we should've had them dance instead."  
  
"This is much better than dancing," James protested, grinning from ear to ear. "Look at old Snivelly."  
  
The other three looked where James was pointing and burst into laughter at Snape, who had just had a bowl of gravy poured over his head by one of the game hens and was wiping gravy out of his eyes, looking distinctly put out.  
  
Eventually the professors and prefects managed to Stun all of the Cornish game hens, - or so they thought, one or two might have made a break for it down the corridor - and did a few quick Scourgifying spells to clean up the food that had been spattered all over the tables, walls, and floor. James, Sirius, and Peter helped Remus, trying to appear as innocent and blameless as possible, though Professor McGonagall kept shooting them stern, suspicious glances and when Professor Dumbledore's glance met James', there was a distinct twinkle in his eye.  
  
And, even though it didn't seem possible, James could have sworn that Dumbledore winked at him.  
  
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially Willow23. Your review made my day! Anyways, more chapters to come. 


	6. Pranks, Plots, and Prejudices

Chapter 5 Pranks, Plots, and Prejudices  
  
After the now legendary Halloween feast and with no Hgsemeade weekend to look forward to until December, November at Hogwarts seemed rather dull in comparison to most of the students.  
  
However, after the first week of November came and went, none of the students said that any longer.  
  
It was the greatest string of pranks in Hogwarts history; it seemed there was no end to the originality, innovation, and access power of the Marauders. Nothing, nowhere, and no one was immune. Filch the caretaker seemed on the point of a nervous breakdown and many of the Slytherin first years lived in a constant state of terror. Some of the pranks the Marauders were punished for, others there wasn't enough proof to condemn them, but everyone knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Marauders were behind it. Who else had the skill, brains, and nerve to pull it off?  
  
Since the completion of their piece de resistance, the Marauder's Map, just before Halloween, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter had seemed to be able to get away with any prank they could imagine and spent more time planning and executing them than they did studying. This new level of ability and activity had only added to their legend; they were followed, stared at, and giggled over by even more of the Hogwarts female population.  
  
Remus took this new state of affairs as calmly as he did anything else, but inside he felt slightly guilty, knowing deep down that he, a Prefect and supposed role model, was setting a very poor example indeed by spending several of his evenings in detention along with those he sent there for curfew restrictions and other minor infringements. However, Remus had had very little fun in his pre-Hogwarts existence as he had no mates to hang about with. His friendships with his fellow Marauders meant more to him than what kind of example he was setting for the first years, and, he reasoned, if he weren't in on these pranks, who would stop the others from going too far?  
  
Peter of course was delighted with his new level of infamy. Of course, it was really only infamy by association as he and most of the school knew that he lacked the talent the other three possessed in spades, which kept Peter mostly at the level of devoted and enthusiastic admirer and lackey who did the dirty work. But Peter didn't mind his role in their little club, it was well suited to him and it was a role he played excellently. There were so many advantages to his friendships with the Marauders, and he owed them so much. By taking notice of him and befriending him, they had rescued Peter from obscurity and almost certain bullying and had elevated him to his current status as one of the most popular blokes in Hogwarts. Sure, most of the girls preferred the other three, especially James or Sirius, to him, and sometimes he got a bit jealous, but the girls weren't the most important thing.  
  
With the Marauders, Peter received a taste of the glory he had sought his entire life, and for that, they had his loyalty.  
  
Sirius had more devoted females flocking after him everywhere and hanging onto his every word, which luckily presented him with new opportunites, because frankly the old ones had been becoming a touch boring. This new rash of pranks, beginning with the one on Halloween, and the full moon trips to the Shrieking Shack and beyond were the only way Sirius could feel alive. Whether it was sneaking into the kitchens to spike the Cornish game hen basting liquid with Mobilibus potion, enchanting the suits of armor along the main corridor to point and laugh anytime a Slytherin walked by, or snogging a girl in Honeyduke's' store room, Sirius did it all for the same reason: the thrill. He needed to feel danger and have excitement ever present or he went stir crazy. The Marauder's Map took away virtually every barrier that stood between the Marauders and total access to Hogwarts, and Sirius was loving it.  
  
James too was enjoying this new ultimate access to Hogwarts and planning every prank he had ever dreamed of pulling because it took his mind off of other areas that didn't come as easily to him, mainly his love life. Lily Evans was still very much on his mind, especially after he heard Frank's and Morwenna's accounts of what had happened on Halloween. James knew from Sirius just how much of a product Bellatrix was of the Black family and how psychotic she was herself. James knew firsthand how determined Bellatrix was and how vindictive when she felt herself to have been slighted. He was genuinely concerned for Lily and the others and he, Sirius, Remus, and Peter had determined to keep an eye on them. Aside from that, James' feelings for Lily were still very much present and her rejection of him was getting harder to take. He was fairly certain that he didn't want Lily just because he couldn't have her, as he had suspected at the beginning. These feelings seemed to be real, which made his situation all the more frustrating. He didn't even want to snog other girls in an attempt to forget about her as he had been able to do in his third, fourth, and fifth years. It wouldn't help, and these other girls weren't Lily, so why bother pretending?  
  
So James devoted much of his boundless energy to pranks and the rest to schoolwork and his other obsession: Quidditch. He was captain this year, and the team was most definitely on so far this season.  
  
But James wasn't giving up. Not by any means. In fact, he was seeking reinforcements in the form of his friends to help him with this plan of winning Lily Evans over.  
  
* * *  
  
While the rest of the school was impressed with the Marauders' audacity, most of Slytherin house was most definitely not amused.  
  
Many of these so called jokes were at their expense, and this had brought the already volatile Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry to new heights of tension.  
  
So when Bellatrix Black and her cronies brought forth their tale of Gryffindor Mudblood humiliation, the time was ripe for vengeance.  
  
The Slytherins rarely rallied around any cause. Most Slytherins lacked the needed loyalty and were too shrewd and self-serving to make unnecessary enemies. It was simply the nature of their house.  
  
However, this insult to one of its most prominent leaders, with the age and weight of her family name and influence with certain powerful individuals, by a Mudblood no less, could not be ignored. The fact that said Mudblood was a Gryffindor and retaliation against her would be retaliation against Gryffindor was simply an added incentive.  
  
Rodolphus Lestrange, infuriated that such a thing had happened to his girlfriend, was the ringleader, in addition to Bellatrix herself, of course, and quickly ensured the cooperation of most of the "select few" whose prestige in the house could not be rivalled.  
  
The girls who had born witness to Bellatrix's humilaiation, Morgaine DuBose, Lourdes Arbor, Hera Mordred, and Claudia Heston, were of course in on the scheming, but only Hera, Morgaine, and Claudia wished to take part in the actual revenge. Lourdes found such things distasteful, but she was in the minority. Though only a few would wreak the actual vengeance, they did so with at least the partial knowledge and almost overwhelming support of the house.  
  
Snape had no interest in these latest machinations. They seemed too trivial to bother with and too ill-advised to be borne. Naturally at least some, if not all, of them would be caught and punished, which could prove highly detrimental to their Hogwarts careers, now entering the crucial final stage. It would be appallingly idiotic of any of them, especially the seventh years, to do anything to jeapordize those all-important NEWTs.  
  
Therefore Snape was extremely reluctant when Rodolphus cornered him in the common room that evening and suggested that Severus accommodate him with a private chat. Rodolphus held too many cards not to comply, so naturally Snape agreed.  
  
Once settled in the empty Potions classroom near Slytherin's dungeon common room, Rodolphus came directly to the point.  
  
It seems to me, Severus," Lestrange began, his expression too neutral for Ssnape's comfort, "that your devotion to certain worthy and important institutions has been, shall we say, somewhat lacking." Rodolphus paused, his eyes boring into Snape's letting him feel the weight of his implications.  
  
"In good conscience," Rodolphus continued, "I couldn't allow this lack in you to go unnoticed by certain parties in leadership positions - nobody likes a fair weather friend, after all. Unless," Rodolphus paused again. "You can convince me of your fidelity."  
  
Snape knew exactly what Rodolphus was implying. He had been expecting something along these lines, after all, ever since that first night back at Hogwarts when Lestrange had sought him out. He would have to do something for Lestrange to convince him not to report him to the Dark Lord. And Snape was fairly certain that this meant playing a prominent, and probably very vulnerable, role in this little revenge scheme. Snape's gut churned with fury at Lestrange's stupidity. To waste a debt such as this on such petty schoolgirl machinations was contemptible. He was contemptible to lead them into this ridiculous scheme that was bound to have a higher price than the satisfaction warranted. And Snape had no choice but to comply. Just to be certain, Snape decided to ask for clarification.  
  
"Am I to understand that you require my assistance in this little manouever that you and Bellatrix are planning against a certain Mudblood?" Snape inquired coldly.  
  
Lestrange smiled mirthlessly. "Your powers of perception are astounding, Severus," he sneered.  
  
Snape's heart sank. He didn't want to sacrifice more than five years of hard work for this pointless little tiff. But he had no choice in the matter. Lestrange had the ears of all the right people, and he would bury Snape if he had the chance. Snape knew how the game was played, had seen it played and had heard others talking about it often enough to know.  
  
Refusing to play the game Lestrange's way would be tantamount to suicide.  
  
* * *  
  
Friday afternoons the sixth year Gryffindors had Double Potions with the Slytherins. Most of them enjoyed this class because the Potions professor, Professor Colander, was easygoing and the nature of the work allowed them plenty of time to chat.  
  
The Marauders, minus Remus who was in the hospital wing in anticipation of the full moon that night, worked directly behind Lily Evans and Alice Prewett, which made the class twice as enjoyable for James. He could look at Lily Evans without it being obvious that he was doing so and had plenty of time and freedom to joke about with his mates.  
  
Today Lily and Alice seemed to be catching up with each other as Alice had apparently been spending a great deal of her free time with Frank Longbottom and hadn't talked to Lily since Monday.  
  
"I'm glad it's going so well," Lily was saying, smiling her dazzling smile at her friend. "Frank is such a nice bloke."  
  
"He really is," Alice blushed. "He makes me feel special, like I'm something completely out of the ordinary and amazing."  
  
"Which is true," Lily smiled at her friend.  
  
James was distracted just then as Sirius leaned over and whispered: "Prongs! Create a diversion so I can put this Dissolution Solution on the Slytherin's cauldrons."  
  
Being the good friend and devoted troublemaker that he was, James turned his attention to Sirius to hear the details of the plan, but his ears perked up as he heard the girls discussing the upcoming holidays.  
  
"What are you doing for the Christmas holidays?" Lily asked as she tossed a handful of powdered dragon's teeth into her cauldron.  
  
"Going to Edinburgh to see my grandparents with my family," Alice replied. "We haven't been for ages. What about you, Lils?"  
  
"I haven't decided yet," Lily sighed. The subject was a rather depressing one for her this year. "I might very well stay here. In fact, I probably will"  
  
"But you never stay at Hogwarts for Christmas," Alice said, her brow furrowing. "Is there any reason in particular?"  
  
Lily opened her mouth to answer but unfortunately James realized he was supposed to be causing a distraction and suddenly gave a yelp of pain.  
  
"A rat, professor! It ran across my table and surprised me and I burned my hand," James lied smoothly and utterly convincingly, clutching his hand in supposed pain.  
  
As he had known they would, most of the girls in the room shrieked and stood on the chairs, causing enough of a general uproar for Sirius to sneak over and apply the potion to the side of Heston's cauldron and then go on down the line of Slytherin cauldrons.  
  
"Settle down and get back to work, all of you," ordered Professor Colander, sounding mildly irritated. "Potter, you may put your hand under the faucet, or is it bad enough to need to go and see Madam Pomfrey?"  
  
"I think it's all right, Professor," James said innocently. No way was he missing this.  
  
The room settled down again and a few seconds later the Dissolution Solution had worked its way through the cauldrons, dissolving holes large enough for the potion to leak onto the floor. The Freezing Formula immediately hardened into a sheet of ice, causing the Slytherins to slip and slide on the sheets of ice. The Gryffindors sniggered rather nastily and Professor Colander was incensed.  
  
"I have warned you repeatedly not to spill the Freezing Formula!" the professor screeched.  
  
"But we didn't, Professor," protested Claudia Heston, flapping her arms about frantically in an attempt to keep her balance. "Someone's put holes in our cauldrons." Heston's flapping increased as her struggle to stay upright became more difficult. "EEEEEE!" she shrieked as she finally fell on the ice.  
  
"Someone help Miss Heston up," barked Colander. "Does anyone know anything about these mysterious holes?"  
  
"Sirius Black did it," Evan Rosier spoke up. "I saw him."  
  
Professor Colander swelled like a toad. "Mister Black," she huffed in an outraged tone. "Did you put holes in these cauldrons?"  
  
Sirius looked bored. "Yes, I suppose I did."  
  
"So you have disrupted this class' learning, not to mention your own, and all for a childish prank. You should be ashamed, especially with NEWTS coming up next year. Does it matter to you at all if no one comes out of Hogwarts knowing how to brew a decent potion?" Colander scolded.  
  
"Why bother really, Professor, when everywhere you go has pre- brewed?" Sirius inquired, struggling to hide his amusement.  
  
"Detention, Black! Effective immediately after the rest of the class is dismissed! You may help me clean up this mess you made." Professor Colander snapped. "Everyone else may begin cleaning up."  
  
"You lucked out there, Padfoot," James whispered.  
  
"Yeah," Peter piped up. "Wouldn't want to miss the full moon, would you? But I think you'll have enough time, Madam Pomfrey won't be taking Moony to the Shrieking Shack for another two - OUCH!!" Peter's revealing little statement earned him simultaneous pinches from both of his mates.  
  
"Just hurry. Wouldn't want to have to do without you," James said cryptically to Sirius, finally ceasing to glare at Peter.  
  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Sirius grinned.  
  
* * *  
  
Alice, Lily, and the other sixth year girls had returned to their dormitory after Potions, laughing over the Marauders' latest prank. Four of them, at any rate. Lily refused to.  
  
After a few minutes of chatter, the gilrs dispersed, Kathleen and Morwenna to the common room, Dorcas to the library. Alice waited deliberately, wanting to find out what was eating Lily.  
  
When the door closed behind Dorcas after she had extracted a promise from Lily to meet her in the library after a bit, Alice stopped fiddling with her hair and went to sit on her bed next to Lily's.  
  
"So we never did finish our chat earlier," Alice said. "What's making you change your holiday plans?"  
  
Lily fidgeted with a bit of blanket. "It's my sister," she said finally. "She's..well.. I don't quite know where to begin." Lily opened a drawer in her bedside table and removed a flowered envelope. I received this yesterday from my mum," Lily explained. "Go on and read it. It'll make it easier for you to understand." Alice unfolded the letter.  
  
"My Dearest Lily," it began.  
  
I am writing to tell you about some very unfortunate incidents that have been taking place at home since you left.  
  
First, your father and I want you to know that we have been tirelessly persuading Petunia to tell Vernon the truth about you ever since you left. We are deeply ashamed that Petunia told such a terrible lie and that Vernon, who is soon to be a member of our family, should think so poorly of you. You are a dear, sweet girl who has never caused us a day of worry and we refuse to go along with this ridiculous lie.  
  
Incoorectly, it seems, Dad and I hoped that it would be easier to persuade Petunia to tell Vernon the truth after you were away and she would no longer have to face you. Petunia has been adamant for many months now, absolutely refusing to see our point of you or let go of this bitterness she seems to harbor. It was only recently when she agreed to tell Vernon, and even then it was only Vernon, not his family. I was firmly convinced that Vernon would be relieved to know the truth.  
  
Again, it seems I was wrong. Vernon and Petunia had a row when she told him, and he called the engagement off last week. As of yesterday they are reconciled, but the wedding has been pushed back to next December and Petunia is frightfully upset. Irrationally she seems to blame you for what happened instead of placing the blame where it belongs, on her own shoulders for telling the lie in the first place.  
  
I feel you deserve fair warning: I do not know what Petunia will do or say when she sees you at Christmas, nor do I know what Vernon will do or say, and ultimately I have little control over the matter. I have never seen Petunia so distraught or so angry at you. You are of course always welcome at home and your father and I would be delighted to see you and are doing everything in our power to change Petunia's mind, but I do feel you should be warned about what's waiting for you in enough time to make other plans for Christmas if you want to.  
  
I hope all is well with you and I am terribly sorry to have to be the bearer of such distressing news. Write to me soon and tell me what your decision is.  
  
With all of my love, Mum  
  
"This is absurd!" Alice said indignantly. "How could your own sister go about telling lies about you then blame you when she gets caught in her own lie? What did she say about you, by the way?"  
  
"It's rather funny, really," Lily smiled and proceeded to tell Alice about her supposed stints in a correctional facility and her first meeting with Vernon.  
  
Alice was in peals of laughter. "How could anyone believe that of you when they saw you? This Vernon bloke really must be thick!"  
  
"He looks thick," Lily shrugged.  
  
"Why is your sister telling these lies? What's she ashamed of?" Alice asked in a more serious tone.  
  
Lily searched for the words to explain. "She thinks I'm a freak," she said.  
  
"Why?" Alice genuinely didn't understand. As a pureblood wizard who had never lived outside of the wizarding community, Alice had never been given any reason to think her way of life was strange or be ridiculed for her differences. Additionally, she was one of the kindest people Lily had ever known; it wasn't in her realm of possibility to even think about hating someone for being different.  
  
"Well, because I'm a witch," Lily squirmed, not wanting to be the one to ruin Alice's innocence.  
  
"Why on earth is that a reason to lie and be upset?" Alice still didn't get it.  
  
"Petunia doesn't like things that are out of the ordinary or things she doesn't understand," Lily explained. "They scare her. She's afraid of who I've become and what I do here, so she thinks I'm a freak."  
  
"She's the one about to marry a prat," Alice snorted.  
  
"It's a lot like the prejudice against Muggle borns in the wizarding world," Lily elaborated. "Most people don't like people that are different or that they don't understand. But with Muggles, all witches and wizards are 'freaks'. My sister wouldn't care if you were from the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black or if you were a common Muggle born. Either way you aren't like her and that makes you a freak."  
  
A long silence followed as Alice digested this information, fully appreciating just how difficult it was to be Muggle born and Lily waited nervously to hear what her friend would say.  
  
"You should stay here for Christmas, Lily," Alice said finally. "At least you're wanted here."  
  
"By some people, at least," Lily smiled rather grimly.  
  
"Well, the one who don't want you don't matter, do they?" Alice said. "It's only a few of them as opposed to an entire bloody race of Muggles, and besides, there're loads of people who do want you here. The rest are just eejits like that Vernon Dursley."  
  
Alice smiled at her friend and Lily smiled back, touched. As the two girls made their way to the library where Frank and Dorcas were waiting to study for their upcoming Potions exam, Lily suddenly felt very glad to be where she was.  
  
Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, especially Crimsonkisses, Willow23, Blue Eyes At Night, and Lily Rowling Potter. The reviews mean so much to me and they really help to motivate me to keep writing. More chapters to come. 


	7. Rabid Creatures

Chapter 6 Rabid Creatures  
  
It was now 6 PM and James and Peter were waiting for Sirius in their dormitory; Peter fidgeting about nervously and James alternating glances out the window at the steadily darkening sky with checking his watch.  
  
Though they had done it before, none of the Marauders fancied taking their monthly full moon excursions without each other. If Sirius didn't show soon, James and Peter would have to go to the Shrieking Shack alone, and, though James would never say it, he didn't much fancy taking on Remus in werewolf form with only Peter for assistance.  
  
Madam Pomfrey and Remus should have gone to the Shack nearly a half- hour ago and Remus would begin his actual transformation soon. It was time to go; none of them liked to leave Remus on his own during his extremely painful lycanthropy. James moved away from the window and collected the Marauder's Map and his invisibility cloak from his bed.  
  
"C'mon, Wormtail, Sirius'll catch up," James urged as he pulled out his wand. He tapped his wand on the map and said: "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Instantly lines of ink began to form on the parchment. Peter came over to study the map with James.  
  
"Damn! Peeves is right by the statue!" Peter exclaimed.  
  
"Don't wet yourself over it, Wormtail," came a familiar, if unexpected, reply.  
  
James and Peter jumped, then spun around. "Padfoot!" James exclaimed, his grin spreading from ear to ear. "About bloody time you got here. We were about to leave without you."  
  
"How'd you get out?" Peter asked breathlessly, as though he expected Sirius' tale of getting out of detention to involve planted explosives and an extraction team of Hit Wizards.  
  
Sirius shrugged. "Turns out Colander was pretty impressed that I'd managed to make a Dissolution Solution at all, so she let me off rather easy after a dire warning about the evils of abusing potions and made me promise not to do it again."  
  
All three snorted at that last statement. "Shall we?" James asked, holding open the door. They hurried down the stairs and out of Gryffindor Tower, stopping in the corridor just outside, where James pulled out his invisibility cloak. The three boys squeezed under it - a feat that became more and more difficult as they grew older and taller - for the most dangerous part of the trip, the part from inside the castle to the Whomping Willow, where they could safely transform.  
  
The three made their slow and careful way down the stairs to the corridor below, where a secret passage would take them outside of the castle.  
  
"Wormtail," hissed Sirius, "you have got to lose some weight, mate. We barely fit under this thing."  
  
"Shhh!" James whispered.  
  
"There's no need to be such a wanker about it," huffed Peter. "And if you stand on my foot again -"  
  
"Look, you lot," James said as loudly as he dared. "If you don't stop bickering and shut up I'll toss you both out for Filch to catch."  
  
"Sorry, Dad," Sirius quipped. "And will you turn this cloak around too?"  
  
That little remark earned him a fulminating glare from James as well as a kick in the shin.  
  
"Ouch!" Sirius exclaimed, glaring back at James. Finally the trio reached the right statue and, murmuring the password, entered the passageway without further incident - they were too good at this little game after so much practice - and pulled off the cloak for the time being.  
  
Finally in front of the Whomping Willow, James threw off the cloak again. Glancing quickly round one last time to make sure no one could see them, James, Sirius, and Peter faced the tree and closed their eyes.  
  
James focused all of his concentration on transforming into his Animagus form, a stag. After nearly a year of doing it, he still felt a thrill of anticipation run down his spine whenever he transformed. Part of it was the danger; the penalty for being an unregistered Animagus was a sentence in Azkaban, but another part was something else entirely.  
  
James sensed the familiar blue-white glow of the transformation, indicating that one of the others, probably Peter, had already transformed. After another fraction of a second, James shifted as well.  
  
It was an odd feeling, being an animal. James never felt so in tune with his body or with the world around him as he did when he was Prongs. Everything physical was heightened; he could see through the brush to Hagrid the gamekeeper's hut with astonishing clarity, could hear perfectly the scratching noises that Peter in his rat form was making, could smell Madam Pomfrey's peculiar scent of antiseptic and chocolate in the air though she had been there nearly half an hour ago. He also felt as though he could almost fly, so quick were his reactions and so fluid and effortless were his movements.  
  
Mentally, James was almost exactly as he was in human form. He retained his same powers of perception and analysis, minus the ability to speak, of course, but emotionally it was a different story. The trivial little worries and insecurities that concerned a human were nonexistent in animal form. James was on a much more even keel emotionally; he was not easily upset or disconcerted. He thought less about abstract things and focused more on his instincts and what was around him instead of what people, especially a certain girl, thought of him.  
  
Life was so much simpler and more carefree when you were an animal.  
  
* * *  
  
Quickly Wormtail, followed closely by Padfoot and Prongs, crouched through the passage in the Whomping Willow and hurried along the long, steep tunnel that led to the Shrieking Shack. They were still quite far away when they began to hear the screams of pure agony. Quickly Prongs and Padfoot exchanged a glance. No matter how many times they heard it, it was always horrible to hear those sounds and to have the knowledge that they were coming from their friend Remus.  
  
By the time they reached the Shrieking Shack, Remus' transformation was complete and in his place was a snarling, vicious werewolf that lunged toward the first thing that entered the room, in this case Padfoot.  
  
The werewolf and the dog wrestled about for a few minutes, Wormtail scuttling out of their path, before Prongs intervened, prodding Moony with his horns. The werewolf yelped and retreated with a snarl, still snapping at them and foaming at the mouth. Prongs and Padfoot exchanged yet another glance; even in animal form the pair exuded a sense of mischief. They had planned this full moon adventure, as they had the last two, with the greatest enthusiasm, fully aware that at such times they were virtually unstoppable. No one at Hogwarts knew their secrets; they wouldn't suspect them of being in animal form and even if they did, no one would dare approach them with a fully-grown werewolf in tow.  
  
It was a heady feeling.  
  
Prongs and Padfoot began to herd Moony toward the exit they had created in the rear of the Shrieking Shack with Wormtail running along ahead to open it and scurrying through. Prongs went first through the opening, then Moony, with Padfoot bringing up the rear.  
  
It was a clear, cold night, their breath creating the only clouds in the sky. They could see the stars for miles, and the entire town of Hogsmeade stretched before them, waiting for them to explore. Above them the full moon burned bright and cast an eerie shadow over Moony, who stared at it as though fascinated for a moment, then turned his face skyward and howled, a long, bone-chilling, piercing, lonely sound. Though still in animal form, James felt a chill run down his spine and he felt a kind of empathy for Remus, even though he also knew that he would never truly understand the suffering that went into that sound.  
  
Padfoot barked and danced back and forth, indicating his impatience to be on their way. Prongs answered him with a shake of his antlered head, and Padfoot barked once more enthusiastically before taking the lead, leaving Prongs to nudge Moony along with his antlers. Moony snarled and snapped his teeth at the stag, but followed after Padfoot and Wormtail without further incident.  
  
Since James, Sirius, and Peter had become Animagi the previous year and were able to keep him company every full moon, Moony had become less wolfish, less dangerous. He was still a werewolf, of course, and would bite, snarl, and attack if given the opportunity, but he was not as vicious, as unpredictable as he had been. James had noticed the difference, was sure Sirius had too, and, in James' firm opinion, if they had helped Remus' crushing burden to become just a bit lighter by being there with him, then they were justified in their breaking of wizarding law.  
  
The foursome made its way through the village and continued to the mountains just beyond it, having decided to spend the better part of this evening exploring the many caves the mountains supposedly had. Sirius had heard a rumor that some wild hippogriffs lived up there, so naturally they had wanted to find out if these rumors were true. None of them had ever seen a hippogriff up close.  
  
The Marauders roamed through the caves for hours, not finding any hippogriffs but encountering plenty of bowtruckles. When the east began to show signs of dawn, they headed back down the mountainside, through the village, and into the Shrieking Shack.  
  
They had no sooner gotten inside when Moony began to shake violently; then began to howl in apparent pain. Prongs peered through a crack in one of the boarded-up windows; the moon was gone. Moony was becoming Remus again.  
  
A few minutes later the howls became screams as the transformation ran its course. The other three remained in animal form and averted their eyes; it was painful to watch at any time, but it was slightly less so as an animal. Finally the screams subsided, and there was Remus, lying on the floor bathed in sweat and deathly pale. After a few more minutes Remus opened his eyes and smiled weakly. Prongs closed his eyes and concentrated on becoming James again.  
  
"I didn't..? " Remus began. It was the first thing he always asked as soon as his consciousness returned. James had never let him finish that particular question.  
  
"'Course not," James interrupted him firmly. "We could hardly let that happen, you being a Prefect and all, now could we?"  
  
"That'd be a fine one for your permanent record," Sirius snorted behind them, having reverted to human form. ""Tends to bite others at certain times of the month'"  
  
After a slight pause, the implications of what Sirius had just said hit them as James and Sirius doubled over with laughter, Peter chuckled in a nervous, confused sort of way as though he had missed the punch line, and Remus managed a weak chuckle.  
  
"'S not that different when you think about it," Sirius said defensively. "Both of 'em become rabid vicious monsters once a month that'd as soon bite your head off as look at you."  
  
"And at least Moony is normal for some of that time," James chimed in, wiping his glasses on his shirt.  
  
"Oh!" exclaimed Peter, a look of comprehension dawning on his face as he finally got the joke. There was complete silence as the other three just stared at him for a moment, Sirius slowly shaking his head.  
  
"Wormtail, old friend," Sirius said at last, still shaking his head. "We have got to find you a girl."  
  
Leaving Remus in the Shack to be collected by Madam Pomfrey with the promise of coming to visit him later, James, Peter, and Sirius made their way back to the castle under the invisibility cloak for some much needed sleep before their classes began in a few hours, three to be precise.  
  
Even though he was exhausted, James was aware of the thought that whatever the repercussions, be they sleepless nights or a sentence in Azkaban, these full moon adventures were worth it.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Sorry this chapter is a little short, I'm hard at work on the next two, which will be a lot longer and up very soon. In the meantime, please review, and thank you to those of you who did, especially Lily Rowling Potter, Sweet Lil Angel2, James Potter09, and Willow23. You're the best; it's people like you who keep me writing.  
  
Big things will be happening in this story very soon, just keep checking for updates; the new chapters should be up by Saturday or Sunday at the latest. 


	8. Unexpected Prospects

Chapter 7 Unexpected Prospects  
  
November passed through Hogwarts without much incident. The Marauders continued to pull some rather astounding pranks and still no one knew exactly how they did them. Other than the upheavals caused by these jokes, life went on as usual. Even the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry, which had seemed so volatile a few weeks earlier, seemed to have reached some kind of standstill.  
  
Finally December came with the promise of another Hogsmeade weekend and of course the Christmas holidays.  
  
To none of her friends' surprise, Alice was once again going to Hogsmeade with Frank Longbottom. The two had been spending much of their free time together since their first Hogsmeade date. As of yet, none of the Gryffindor sixth year girls had dates to Hogsmeade, not even Kathleen, though Lily was secretly afraid that Gilderoy Lockhart would ask her again.  
  
Lily had had a few offers, but she hadn't accepted any of them. None of the boys who had asked were quite what she was looking for, even though at least one of them was considered to be very attractive. Lily had been on a few dates, but nothing serious. In fact, something serious would have been very difficult indeed, as the Marauders tended to make the life of anyone who asked out Lily Evans a living hell.  
  
* * *  
  
The morning of the Hogsmeade trip dawned bright and beautiful, and as usual the Great Hall at breakfast was filled with excited chatter.  
  
The Gryffindor table was somewhat more subdued than usual and several of the students had bags under their eyes and yawned constantly as though they hadn't slept well the night before, which was perfectly understandable under the circumstances.  
  
Gilderoy Lockhart, who was still not apparently over his little crush on Lily Evans, had snuck out of the castle after hours the previous night and made his way to what he had believed to be the Gryffindor girls' dormitories. Convinced that Lily was merely playing hard to get, Lockhart planned to throw stones at the sixth years' window until Lily noticed and came to the window so he could ask her once again to go to Hogsmeade with him and confess his dying love for her in the moonlight, which was very flattering to his complexion.  
  
Unfortunately, Lockhart had miscalculated; he was on the complete opposite side of the tower from where he had intended to be and was in fact throwing stones at Professor McGonagall's bedroom window.  
  
Hearing the stones, an irate Professor McGonagall, in tartan dressing gown and hairnet, stuck her head out of the window to see who had the nerve to do such a thing. When she saw Lockhart standing there with yet another stone in his hand, she began to tell him off with enough volume to wake the entire tower.  
  
"MR. LOCKHART!" Professor McGonagall shrieked. " WHAT IN MERLIN'S NAME ARE YOU DOING?"  
  
"Er.That is." Lockhart stammered.  
  
THIS IS ABSOLUTLEY DISGRACEFUL BEHAVIOR!" Professor McGonagall began. At this point, all of Gryffindor Tower was awake and were sticking their heads out of the windows in order to better hear and hopefully see what was going on. Those who could ran to the other side of the tower and reported back to everyone who couldn't.  
  
"..A MONTH'S WORTH OF DETENTION AND FIFTY POINTS FROM HUFFLEPUFF FOR YOUR LEWD BEHAVIOR," McGonagall continued her tirade. "YOU MAY REST ASSURED THAT I WILL SPEAK TO YOUR HEAD OF HOUSE AND TO PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE ABOUT THIS MATTER! NOW RETURN TO YOUR DORMITORY IMMEDIATELY, AND THAT INCLUDES ALL OF YOU!" McGonagall finished, including all of the gawking Gryffindors in this last statement before slamming her window shut. Lockhart fled, presumably to his dormitory, but it was quite a while before Gryffindor Tower settled down again.  
  
In the sixth year girls' dormitory, Lily was mortified. The only thing she had to be grateful for was that Lockhart hadn't said he was looking for her. Still, she was not in the best of moods this morning, feeling very touchy about this latest Lockhart incident and boys in general, with bags under her eyes and a headache from lack of sleep.  
  
Unexpectedly, James Potter with the Marauders in tow hadn't yet been over to taunt her about Lockhart, or in James' case, ask her out. Lily noticed that Remus was once again missing from their ranks; he was presumably sick again, and whenever that happened the Marauders seemed more preoccupied than usual. James, Peter, and Sirius were eating quickly and mostly silently, but whenever one of them did say something he would whisper it and the other two would lean forward and convene in hushed voices.  
  
Lily's attention was drawn away from the Marauders' odd behavior as her friends began discussing their plans, or lack thereof.  
  
"Who're you going with, Kathleen?" Morwenna asked, taking a bite of her eggs.  
  
"No one," Kathleen shrugged a little too nonchalantly. The others looked at each other in surprise; this was the first time since third year that Kathleen hadn't had a date to a Hogsmeade weekend.  
  
"Why not?" Dorcas asked carefully.  
  
Kathleen shrugged again and fidgeted a bit before answering. "I suppose I thought Remus Lupin was going to ask me."  
  
"But he didn't," Lily stated more than she asked.  
  
"No," Kathleen admitted in a small voice. "That's what I get really, for putting all of my eggs in one basket."  
  
"Well, I think he's ill again," Alice said kindly. "I'm sure he really wanted to ask you but was feeling sick and didn't want to ask you if he mightn't have been able to go."  
  
"Or he just doesn't fancy me," Kathleen sighed.  
  
"All the boys fancy you," Dorca said firmly. "You and Lily, that is."  
  
"And I'm stuck with all the wankers," Lily pointed out, "so that leaves you all of the nice ones, which definitely includes Remus."  
  
* * *  
  
James, Sirius, and Peter rushed through breakfast in order to have time to visit Remus, who was in the hospital wing in anticipation of that night's full moon and feeling rather dejected about it. The others wanted to pop in and cheer him up a bit before going on to Hogsmeade.  
  
Madam Pomfrey let them in with a stern admonition to be quiet and left them alone with Remus after shooting them all a rather stern look. Rather than risk being turned out of the hospital wing, James drew the curtains around Remus' bed an quickly put a sound proofing charm on it. Now they could devote their energies to cheering Remus up without worrying about the noise level.  
  
Though he was just as pale and wan as he typically was during the full moon, Remus seemed more morose than usual and the other Marauders knew why. Remus, who had fancied Kathleen Kirkpatrick from afar for quite a while now, had been planning to ask her to the Hogsmeade weekend before realizing that it fell on a full moon. Though he had shrugged it off as philosophically as he did anything to do with his lycanthropy, his friends could tell it rankled.  
  
"How you feeling, mate?" Sirius asked languidly from his seat at the foot of the bed.  
  
Remus shrugged. "All right," he said unconvincingly.  
  
"She didn't go with anyone else, you know," James said, understanding all too well the pain of knowing that the girl you fancied was on a date with someone else.  
  
"She isn't?" Remus asked hopefully, not even attempting to feign indifference anymore.  
  
"Nope," Sirius confirmed. "And she seems rather sad too. I think she was hoping you would ask her."  
  
"Knowing Kirkpatrick, she heard it through the rumor mill that you were going to ask her before you even decided to," James put in. "That girl is all-knowing."  
  
"Well, almost," Sirius grinned, and the others joined him. It was so satisfying to have a secret.  
  
"How did it go asking Lily?" Remus asked, even though he knew the answer.  
  
"I didn't ask," James said simply, surprising them all. "She still hates me and I really don't know what to do about it anymore."  
  
"You're right about that one, mate," Sirius snorted. "Aside from locking her in a closet with you I don't know what to do about that particular bird either."  
  
"Have you ever talked to Lily when you were alone together?" Remus asked.  
  
"Er..once or twice," James answered hesitantly, not sure if he liked where this conversation was going.  
  
"Well, maybe you should try to talk to her alone more often, show her that you're not a berk," Remus suggested. "From what I know of Lily Evans, she doesn't take public humiliation too kindly."  
  
"And how exactly is Prongs supposed to do that, Moony?" Sirius was skeptical. "Girls always travel in packs, 's' practically impossible to get one on its own."  
  
"They don't even go to the bathroom separately," Peter piped up. "I've seen them going in in packs."  
  
"I s'pose I could try it," James said, feeling rather depressed about this newest course of action but just desperate enough to try, though he had mortifying mental images of himself trying to separate Lily from a pack of giggling females on its way to the loo.  
  
"It's not like anything else has worked," Sirius shrugged.  
  
* * *  
  
For his part, Snape could not believe his housemates would be foolish enough to plan such an already potentially explosive operation in public, but nonetheless, there they were, sitting at a corner table in The Three Broomsticks with only a simple anti-eavesdropping charm on the table.  
  
He, Evan Rosier, Erebus Avery, Seth Wilkes, Hera Mordred, Morgaine DuBose, Claudia Heston, and Rabastan Lestrange had been called together by Bellatrix and Rodolphus to finalize the details of their plan. Bellatrix had claimed that sitting in this crowded pub to makes plans would divert suspicion, but Snape wasn't so sure.  
  
For one thing, the group gathered around this table was not one that was generally seen spending time together casually. Rosier and Wilkes were often together, as were Mordred, DuBose, and Heston with the addition of Arbor, and of course the Lestranges, especially Rodolphus, were often with Bellatrix, and Bellatrix would occasionally spend time with the other girls, but they were never all together. Slytherins did not generally spend much time in large groups; they tended to spend time in smaller groups, usually made up of those individuals who had come to trust or had at least grown accustomed to each other.  
  
And then there was Bellatrix herself drawing notice to the group. A strikingly beautiful girl, Bellatrix was naturally memorable and noticeable in a crowd. However, combined with her very deep level of mental disturbance, which drew eyes to her like sailors to the rocks before the Sirens, Bellatrix was practically unignorable. Today she was especially so, her gleeful anticipation at the thought of inflicting pain particularly blinding. She sat next to Lestrange, the two of them being a bit more affectionate than was perhaps tactful in public, their mutual smug self- satisfaction glowing like a beacon as they led the meeting. No indeed, Snape had rarely felt more conspicuous in his life.  
  
* * *  
  
Also sitting in The Three Broomsticks, James, Peter, and Sirius of course noticed the odd behavior the Slytherins were exhibiting. As ringleaders in the longstanding rivalry between the two houses, James and Sirius were almost experts on all things Slytherin, and this was not typical. As far as they knew, the assembled group never socialized together, so why would they start having a few pints now? James' eyes met Sirius' in unspoken understanding: they needed to get closer.  
  
Poking Peter to get his attention and alert him to the plan, the Marauders moved closer to the Slytherins as unobtrusively as possible. However, when they were close enough to hear the conversation, they could only hear buzzing. Recognizing an anti-eavesdropping charm when they encountered one, the Marauders retreated and began having their own hushed discussion.  
  
"I don't like this at all," Sirius said bluntly, concerned for once. "Anytime I've seen Bellatrix look like that she's about to hurt someone, and who do we know that she'd have reason to be mad at?"  
  
James frowned, understanding Sirius' meaning perfectly. "Evans. And Morwenna and Alice." Sirius nodded grimly.  
  
Next to them, Peter was more uncomfortable and fidgety than usual. "She wouldn't really hurt them, would she?" he squeaked, frightened.  
  
"Wormtail," Sirius spoke slowly and deliberately, "Let's get one thing straight, shall we? My cousin is completely twisted. Psychotic, even. Not only would she hurt them, she'd genuinely enjoy doing it."  
  
"I think we should let them, Evans and the others, I mean, know that Bellatrix has got it in for them," James spoke quickly, his eyes and demeanor steely like they were going into a Quidditch match. "They need to be very careful. I think we should split up and go look for them right now. Peter, you go and find Alice, Sirius, you look for Morwenna, and I'll look for Evans. Then we'll meet back here in an hour. Oh, and keep it casual, we don't want to scare anybody"  
  
Sirius and Peter gave James knowing looks but went along with his plan nonetheless. Determinedly, James went off in search of Lily. She might hate him, but she was going to hear this from him regardless.  
  
* * *  
  
After about ten minutes of combing through Hogsmeade's shops, James finally found Lily along with Morwenna and Dorcas just coming out of Honeyduke's laden with Christmas shopping.  
  
"Oy! Evans!" James shouted, jogging up to them.  
  
Lily sighed. Why now? "Did you want something, Potter?" she asked warily, attempting to keep her tone neutral.  
  
"Besides you, you mean?" James returned smoothly, running his hand through his hair and smirking, thereby causing Lily to grit her teeth.  
  
Seeing Lily's steadily rising temper, James added hastily: "I was in The Three Broomsticks just now and Bellatrix Black and Lestrange, along with practically half of Slytherin House, were having some sort of meeting. I don't know what about, there was an anti-eavesdropping spell on their table. I don't know if it was about you, but I'd say Bellatrix has got it in for you after what happened on Halloween. So I just thought I should tell you both to watch yourselves," James paused, noting that for once Lily didn't look as though she would as soon hex him into next week as look at him.  
  
"I'll be watching out for you too," he added somewhat arrogantly, mussing his hair again.  
  
"My hero," Lily said scathingly, flipping her hair back over her shoulder, green eyes flashing. "Look, Potter, I appreciate the warning and all, really I do. But I can look after myself, so find someone else to practice your knight-in-shining-armor fantasies on." Lily walked away, with Morwenna and Dorcas looking rather confused but following her just the same.  
  
Watching them go, James was aware of the thought that whether she believed herself in need of a rescuer or not, Lily Evans was in very serious trouble if Bellatrix Black was indeed out for her blood, because with Bellatrix, the expression was literal.  
  
* * *  
  
Less than an hour later, James met up with Sirius and Peter in The Three Broomsticks. As it happened, Sirius had caught up to Lily, Morwenna, and Dorcas as well, but Peter, who had heard that Alice and Frank had gone to Madam Puddifoot's, had seen Alice but had not talked to her.  
  
"She seemed a bit busy, what with trying to swallow Frank's head and all," Peter sniggered.  
  
"I'm sure Lily and Morwenna'll tell her about what we said," shrugged Sirius.  
  
Or if they don't, Frank will after we tell him," James added.  
  
"Right," Sirius said firmly, and James had the distinct impression that his best friend was trying to cheer him up. "Shall we be off, then? It's nearly dark," Sirius observed as he rose from his chair.  
  
"Wouldn't want to leave Moony hanging," Peter agreed, his watery blue eyes excited at the prospect of another full moon adventure.  
  
"Let's go then," James added his vote, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling that Bellatrix Black was planning something horrible for Lily Evans.  
  
* * *  
  
Morwenna waited until they were all gathered in their dormitory that evening and had told Alice about James and Sirius' warnings before confronting Lily about what had happened with James that afternoon.  
  
Dorcas, Morwenna, and Lily had all been rather quiet after encountering first James Potter and then Sirius Black in Hogsmeade, and Morwenna hadn't felt that that had been the time to ask. Now that they were all ready to discuss it, Morwenna couldn't wait any longer.  
  
"Lily," she began, "why were you so mean to James when he told us? He was just trying to help and we'd been thinking Black was out to get us anyway."  
  
To everyone's surprise, Lily didn't automatically dismiss the thought that she'd been too hard on Potter.  
  
"I didn't mean to go off on him the way I did, he was just trying to help," Lily admitted. "But then something about the way he smirks and struts and musses up his hair and thinks he's Merlin's gift to wizardkind just rubs me the wrong way until I have to take him down a peg or two or go mad. I really just can't stand him."  
  
"You have to admit, the way he said he'd be looking out too was really arrogant, Morwenna," Dorcas defended Lily. "I myself wanted to tell the arrogant little berk to shut it. We aren't weak little damsels in distress."  
  
"That's right," Alice said firmly. "We don't need protection from Potter or anyone and we can't let Bellatrix Black scare us. We're powerful witches in our own right."  
  
"Speak for yourself," Morwenna said glumly. "The thought of that psychotic bitch on the warpath against me scares me to death. I'll hide behind anyone I can, thank you very much."  
  
* * *  
  
Later that evening, Snape returned to his dormitory thoroughly exhausted. After the disastrous and extremely irksome meeting in The Three Broomsticks, he had returned to Hogwarts and spent the next several hours in the library researching and completing various essays that were due during the week, then he had gone to one of the small private study rooms in the Slytherin dungeons in order to work on his private potion experiments, all of which were quite involved. Now he wanted nothing more than a few hours' sleep before facing another busy day.  
  
It seemed, however, that his wish was not meant to be. When Snape opened the door to his dormitory, it was to a room full of people. Avery, Wilkes, Rosier, Heston, Mordred, DuBose, and of course Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange, who were curled together on Snape's bed. The others were dispersed on the other four beds, giving Lestrange and Black plenty of space. Snape had no need to ask what this was in reference to. Everything else had become unimportant lately.  
  
Bellatrix smiled at Snape, a slow, catty, yet strangely maternal smile. "Poor Severus," she cooed. "Can't sleep with all of the extra people in his room and on his bed. Don't worry pet, this won't take long," her smiled widened as though she knew how this entire set of circumstances annoyed him. Snape stayed where he was and forced himself to look mildly interested. He would avoid further provoking Lestrange if it killed him.  
  
"Now that we're all here," Bellatrix cast another twisted smile in Snape's direction, "I'll come to the point. It has come to my notice that my esteemed cousin and his fellow performers in their ridiculous little band of show-offs will need to be..detained..during our little maneuver. They might feel the need to interfere, defense of womankind and chivalry and all of that shite they seem to thrive on. And we all know that Potter will want to protect his ickle Mudblood."  
  
"It will be necessary," Lestrange broke in, "for someone to set up an unavoidable little diversion for them. Nothing too complex, we will need everyone present for the actual event. Any takers?"  
  
"I would be happy to offer my assistance in the matter of Potter and his followers," Snape spoke up, not willing to let this golden opportunity to get out of this entire scheme pass him by.  
  
"I'm afraid not, Severus," Lestrange spoke coldly. "You have so much to contend with already, we wouldn't want to overextend you." Nice try, Lestrange's eyes told Snape even as his words conveyed the message, but you aren't escaping so easily.  
  
Suddenly Snape was overwhelmingly irked by everyone in the room and by every aspect of their pathetic little scheme. He wanted nothing more than for everyone who did not belong there to leave the room immediately and for Black and Lestrange, a couple who were known to frighten first years with their overwhelming public displays of affection, to get off of his bed before they realized that they were on a flat surface together.  
  
Snape gritted his teeth and just tried to make it through the meeting, which fortunately concluded about fifteen minutes later.  
  
As soon as all of the additional people had vacated the room and his roommates began preparing for bed, Snape did a quick Scourgifying charm on his bed before climbing into it and yanking the curtains shut for some much- needed sleep.  
  
Unfortunately, Snape found that he was no longer tired. Sighing in vexation and cursing Black and Lestrange under his breath, he resigned himself to a night of insomnia.  
  
* * *  
  
Finally, the last week of classes before the holidays commenced had arrived and the castle seemed to hum with activity, everyone was scrambling to complete their pile of before-holiday homework.  
  
In spite of the workload, Lily was glad to be at Hogwarts and even more glad that she would be staying there over the holiday. Her mother had written to her again telling her that Petunia was still blaming Lily for the near end of her engagement and postponement of her wedding, though now she was planning an even more extravagant affair for the following December. As Lily wouldn't be there over the holiday, her parents had agreed to accompany Petunia, Vernon, and Vernon's family to Majorca for Christmas, which Lily gathered her that her mother at least was not looking forward to. Lily couldn't blame her; she herself was counting her blessings that she had so narrowly escaped the trip.  
  
Lily had had another letter, this one from her friend Marlene. Two years older than Lily, Marlene Markham had graduated from Hogwarts in 1974 and married Andrew McKinnon, and they had just learned that they were expecting a baby. A Muggle born witch herself, Marlene had always been very close to Lily during her years at Hogwarts and the girls kept in close touch now that Marlene had left. In fact, Marlene after Lily had written to her about what had happened with Petunia, Marlene had written this letter inviting Lily to stay with her and her husband for the holidays. Though Lily had been tempted to accept, she hadn't wanted to impose on Marlene. Besides, Lily had never spent a Christmas at Hogwarts and was quite looking forward to it.  
  
She certainly wasn't the only one staying. There were more students staying for the holidays than ever, in fact, because of the amount of students whose families had been killed or were missing or in hiding. There were also those whose parents didn't want them to leave the relative safety of Hogwarts for the now very uncertain wizarding world.  
  
Lily would have the dormitory to herself, however. Morwenna would be going home to the social whirl of her parents' many Ministry parties, Alice to her holiday in Edinburgh, Dorcas to her family in Dorset, and Kathleen to hers in Galway. Nonetheless, Lily knew lots of other people in other years and houses that she could spend her time with.  
  
The week flew by as everyone was so busy, and finally it was Friday. The last class of the day for the sixth years was Double Potions, which suited everyone very well. Professor Colander would let them talk and there was always the possibility that she might even let them out early.  
  
Following Alice and Morwenna to their usual places in the front of the classroom, Lily couldn't help but be aware of the fact that something was a bit odd with the Slytherins. As the two houses were notorious for their rivalry, they made it a rule never to sit together, and there was an invisible line in the center of the classroom. On their side, every single one of the Slytherins watched Lily and her friends come in and sit down, their smiles malevolent, but none more so than Bellatrix Black's.  
  
Bellatrix's smile, if it could be called that, was so full of malicious, bloodthirsty glee that Lily felt a chill run down her spine. She looked away from Bellatrix, feeling rather sick.  
  
Then it hit her, and Lily's feeling of nausea increased. Bellatrix's threats at Halloween came back to haunt her "You will pay dearly for that, Evans. You always have to pay the piper, Mudblood, and today's work has cost you very dearly indeed."  
  
Lily realized with dawning horror that Bellatrix was planning to take her revenge on her then and now.  
  
Author's Note: Don't worry, the next chapter is coming soon (tomorrow or the day after) so stay tuned. Reviews might help me write faster. (hint, hint) Thanks to those who reviewed, especially Ronald's Girl, Willow23, and Lily Rowling Potter. Thanks guys! 


	9. Paying the Piper

Chapter 8: Paying the Piper  
  
Sitting in the row behind Lily and her friends, the Marauders noticed the Slytherins' odd behavior as well. Clearly the Slytherins were expecting something to happen, but what exactly it was was anyone's guess. However, the direction of their gazes made it crystal clear that it involved the Gryffindor girls who had had a run-in with Bellatrix on Halloween.  
  
James' eyes met Sirius' in mutual understanding. They wouldn't let anything happen to the girls in their house. The Slytherins would have to go through the Marauders to touch Lily, Morwenna, Alice, Kathleen, and Dorcas.  
  
Across the room, Seth Wilkes caught Evan Rosier's eye and nodded: the Marauders were playing and everything would proceed as planned. Rosier's hand slipped unobtrusively into the pocket of his robes as he returned Wilkes' nod.  
  
* * *  
  
Professor Colander began her lecture on the proper preparation of today's potion, and Bellatrix's eyes broke away from Lily's as she gave every appearance of paying close attention. But her mouth curled up at the corners as though she couldn't quite hide her glee. Shaken to the core, Lily took a deep, calming breath.  
  
Noticing Lily's shaking, Morwenna nudged her. "Lily? Are you all right? You're white as a sheet."  
  
"Morwenna," Lily hissed frantically under her breath, "Morwenna, I think Bellatrix Black is planning to do something to me, maybe to all of us." Alice looked around as she heard Lily's words, alarmed.  
  
"We'll leave as soon as class is over and walk with Sirius and Remus and James and Frank," Morwenna said, obviously frightened but trying to hide it.  
  
"She's right, Lily, that's the best thing to do. We'll just have to lie low until class is over. I'll tell Dorcas and Kathleen," Alice whispered and immediately turned to Dorcas on her right.  
  
Professor Colander frowned slightly in their direction, but persevered with her instructions. On the last day of class before the holidays the student invariably became rather restless.  
  
The class dispersed to collect their ingredients and began making their potions without any unusual incidents. But everyone was aware of the change in the atmosphere. Even the Marauders seemed less obnoxious than usual, Lily noticed.  
  
About halfway through the class, a loud explosion and the telltale odor of a Dungbomb filled the room, potion splattering through the air.  
  
"WHAT is the meaning of this?" Professor Colander demanded, hands on hips before Evan Rosier's cauldron.  
  
"It was Sirius Black and James Potter, Professor," Rosier said indignantly. "And Lupin and Pettigrew helped them."  
  
"Like hell it was!" Sirius burst out angrily before he had time to think. Professor Colander rounded on him angrily.  
  
"Excuse me, Mr. Black?" she huffed angrily, her face going slightly red.  
  
"Honestly, Professor, it's complete bollocks!" James jumped in. "We did no such thing." He looked round at Peter, Remus, and Frank, who all began speaking at once.  
  
"Truly, Professor, they didn't do it, I was sitting right there -"  
  
"Rosier's lying, they never -"  
  
" He's just trying to get Sirius and James in trouble -"  
  
"Enough!" Professor Colander exclaimed, her anger of moments ago now bordering on fury. "Rosier, is there anyone else who saw Potter and Black throw this Dungbomb?" Morgaine DuBose raised her hand.  
  
"We all did, Professor," she said sweetly. The rest of the Slytherins present nodded their heads in silent agreement.  
  
"They didn't see anything because we didn't do it!" Sirius said earnestly.  
  
"Mr. Black," Professor Colander sighed. "All of these students saw you throw that Dungbomb and given yours and Mr. Potter's past behavior in this class, I am willing to trust their word. I want you, Mr. Potter, Mr. Lupin, and Mr. Pettigrew to report to Professor McGonagall's office immediately. As your Head of House, she will decide your punishment."  
  
"That's completely unfair, Professor!" Frank Longbottom exclaimed. "You can't just believe them over us, how do you know they're not lying?"  
  
"You may join your classmates in Professor McGonagall's office, Mr. Longbottom!" Professor Colander snapped, her patience finally giving way. "Now get out of my classroom immediately, all of you!"  
  
James and the others gathered their things together, he, Sirius and Frank muttering under their breath. James glanced at Lily out of the corner of his eye just before he left the room. But she wasn't looking at him; she actually looked rather ill, as though she was thinking of something that made her feel sick.  
  
As soon as the class had settled back into making their potions, Morwenna leaned over to Lily. "That must've been what the Slytheirns were so on about," Morwenna sounded relieved. "Guess we needn't have worried after all," Alice looked a bit doubtful about this, but Lily was completely unconvinced. Whatever Bellatrix was waiting for hadn't even begun yet.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily sat nervously in her chair, fidgeting about and checking her wristwatch every few seconds. Would this class never end?  
  
Finally it was time to clear up and go home. Lily worked as quickly as possible. The Slytherins seemed to be taking their time, smirks curling their mouths as they watched the Gryffindor girls hurry. Lily gritted her teeth and willed herself to keep hurrying. This was no time for her stupid pride to be tripping her up.  
  
Finally they were ready to go, but as Alice lifted her bag, it split open at the seams, spilling books, ink, and quills every which way. She began to scramble frantically to gather it up, the others helping her. "Please wait for me," Alice pleaded under her breath. "Please." Lily nodded wordlessly, as did the others. They couldn't leave Alice on her own when they still didn't know what was coming, especially as Lily was fairly certain that one of the Slytherins had split Alice's bag deliberately.  
  
"Turn the lights off on your way out, won't you, dears?" Professor Colander called over her shoulder as she exited the classroom.  
  
"Professor! Wait!" Dorcas called as the door clicked shut. She and Kathleen went over to it and, opening it a crack, peered out into the hallway.  
  
"None of them are out there," Kathleen reported, relief obvious in her voice. "The coast is clear, the hall is deserted."  
  
Morwennna breathed a sigh of relief and grinned at Kathleen, but Dorcas, Alice, and Lily exchanged glances. Where had the Slytherins gone and why was nobody in the hall?  
  
They finished with Alice's bag, Kathleen opened the door, and the girls filed into the hall, their footsteps echoing on the stone tiles as they hurried toward the staircase. It was eerily quiet.  
  
A door opened several feet down the corridor and Bellatrix Black stepped out, a maniacal grin on her face. "Hello, Mudblood," she cooed. "Still want to play with me?"  
  
Lily didn't answer but turned swiftly and began to stride in the opposite direction, the others following her lead. But they came to an abrupt halt before they had gotten far.  
  
The corridor behind them was filled with Slytherins, their wands drawn, blocking the way out. Lily swung again toward Bellatrix and found that the way to the staircase behind her had been barricaded with another gang of Slytherins, Rodolphus Lestrange at their head. They had appeared there so quickly it seemed they had used some form of magic. Lily and the others turned again, but they were effectively trapped.  
  
"The time has come, Evans," Bellatrix laughed behind them, her gaiety at a fever pitch by now. "Didn't I tell you that you'd have to pay the piper?"  
  
* * *  
  
In McGonagall's office, things were not going well. Sirius kept insisting hotly that they hadn't done anything, and McGonagall continued to lecture them on their immaturity and selfishness at disturbing an entire classroom simply for their own amusement. Too anxious to take this calmly, James fidgeted in his chair until he couldn't take it anymore.  
  
"Professor!" he burst out. "We're very sorry that we threw that Dungbomb and caused a disruption. We all deserve a weeks' worth of detentions for it in fact. Again, I'm really sorry and I swear I won't do it again. Sirius swears too. Now may we please be excused?"  
  
Sirius, Remus, Peter and Frank gaped at him, mouths hanging open. Professor McGonagall looked rather shocked herself. "I suppose you may, Mr. Potter," she said abruptly, recovering herself and looking at him suspiciously through narrowed eyes. "But I shall be expecting all of you in this room at seven o'clock every night for a week as soon as you return from your holidays."  
  
James practically ran from the room, barely stopping to thank the professor again, and didn't stop until he'd reached the Great Hall, hoping to see Lily and her friends eating dinner. They weren't there. "Where do you s'pose they'd be?" Sirius asked, coming up behind James.  
  
"I don't know about the others," Frank said slowly, checking his watch, "but Alice was supposed to have met me in the entryway to the Great Hall at ten after four. It's twenty after now, and Alice is never late." "It was a setup," James said suddenly. The others looked round at him. "Rosier planted that Dungbomb in his cauldron and framed us for it to get us out of the way so they could have their revenge without having to worry about anyone coming to help Alice and the others. They're still in the dungeons." With that, James sprinted off toward the staircase, Sirius close on his heels. Frank, Remus, and Peter followed as well, still a bit shocked by James' statement.  
  
James' mind was working as furiously as his feet as he ran faster than he had ever run before. He was furious at himself for not having seen it sooner. He had been neatly dealt with and now Bellatrix and Lestrange and Merlin knew who else could do whatever they wanted to Lily and the others without worrying about reinforcements.  
  
A fury such as he had never felt filled James to the brim. How dare anyone even think of hurting Lily? He would curse them into next week, would hex them so hard that the bastards' ancestors would feel it. Nobody was going to hurt Lily Evans while he could do something about it.  
  
Now if only he could get there in time.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily turned once more to face Bellatrix, her spine stiff, the tilt of her head proud. Bellatrix's eyes were dancing with her insanity. It was positively bone chilling to watch.  
  
Before Lily could so much as draw her wand, Bellatrix cried out: "Iaculo!"  
  
And Lily was hurtling across the corridor at a dizzying speed, mind racing, wondering what was best to do, until her body landed with a sickening crunch against the opposite wall. Bellatrix cackled wildly, gleefully, the sound bouncing off the walls as Lily had done only moments before.  
  
Alice started toward Bellatrix with a cry, wand drawn, but Lestrange sent her spinning into Kathleen instead, the pair of them landing a few feet from Lily. Dorcas and Morwenna hastened to help Lily up, but before they could get to her, Rosier had levitated Dorcas high in the air, spinning her about at an incredible rate, and Claudia Heston had jerked Morwenna back by her hair, grinning viciously as Morgaine prepared to hex her.  
  
In too much pain to do anything beyond make a faint noise of protest and a feeble attempt at getting up, Lily was aware of one thing:  
  
The battle had begun.  
  
* * *  
  
Snape didn't care one bit for his housemates' cowardly ambush tactics.  
  
They hadn't even given any of them the chance to draw their wands, to prepare for the inevitable. Snape knew Lily Evans and the others well, had observed them countless times as he did everyone he shared his classes with, and allowing them the one little dignity of drawing their wands would have made no difference in the end for one simple reason:  
  
None of them would have used it.  
  
Each of them had their reasons: Lily Evans was too compassionate, Alice Prewett too good-hearted, Dorcas Meadows too slow to act, Kathleen Kirkpatrick too easily intimidated, and Morwenna Marchbanks too insecure in her own abilities. But that one little allowance would have made the whole thing slightly more palatable, in Snape's mind.  
  
Nothing could be done for it now, and he needed to act soon because he knew, in spite of everything that was going on, Lestrange was watching him.  
  
No matter the humiliation he himself may have suffered, Snape could not enjoy this cowardly trap his housemates had set. It wasn't honorable, and it was utterly pointless in the end.  
  
Nevertheless, Snape drew his wand and joined the fray. Whatever hell his conscience might make him pay, it was secondary to the hell that he would suffer at Voldemort's hands.  
  
* * *  
  
Before Lily could shake herself out of the stupor her painful landing had caused, she was being hauled to her feet. Expecting to see one of her friends, she recoiled as she looked up into Bellatrix Black's febrile eyes.  
  
"Did the poor ickle Mudblood fall down?" Bellatrix taunted. "Let's help her up then. Legereo!"  
  
And Lily was spinning round and round in the air, absolutely helpless to move any of her limbs, to scream for help or at Bellatrix, or to draw her wand.  
  
"Oy! Bellatrix!" Wilkes called from where he was watching Rosier torment Kathleen, "Let's see the Mudblood's knickers then!"  
  
Suddenly Lily was somersaulting through the air as well as spinning, giving the hallway glimpses of what was under her skirt.  
  
"Lily!" Alice shrieked from where Lestrange's latest curse had thrown her. "Put her down, Black!"  
  
"As you wish," Bellatrix sang. "Adfligo!"  
  
Lily plummeted to the floor, the Slytherins roaring with laughter as she hit the stone with a smack.  
  
Without breaking stride, Bellatrix hurled Lily into the wall again. "Are you ready to promise to get the hell out of our school and our world before you contaminate it with your dirty blood, or do you need some more convincing?" Bellatrix sneered, lifting her wand again. "If you promise to leave Hogwarts and never come back and ask me to stop, I will," Bellatrix cajoled, sounding like a witch in a Muggle fairytale. "All you have to do is ask."  
  
Lily appeared to consider this offer, then murmured something indistinct. "What was that, ickle Mudblood?" Bellatrix leaned closer.  
  
"I said: Go. To. Hell," Lily enunciated coolly. With a shriek, Bellatrix hurled Lily up into the air and dropped her even more viciously. Lily could hear someone sobbing somewhere in the room. She tried to sit up but lay back, dazed.  
  
"Ask and ye shall receive," Bellatrix sing-songed. "All you have to do is say it," she paused, distracted at the noise further down the corridor where several of the Slytherins had gone flying.  
  
Hoping that one of her fellow Gryffindors had managed to get help or fight back, Lily seized the opportunity. She forced herself to her feet and hobbled as quickly as her body would allow her to towards one of the empty classrooms.  
  
Noticing Evans' flight, Snape reacted quickly. "Stupefy!" he bellowed, pointing his wand at Lily, who immediately fell to the ground, immobile. Bellatrix rushed over, her fury evident.  
  
"Can't have that, now can we, Mudblood?" Bellatrix spat. "Let's see how well your dignity holds up under the true test." Belatrix raised her wand, relishing what she was about to do.  
  
"Crucio!"  
  
Lily closed her eyes, preparing herself. But just as Bellatrix uttered that dangerous incantation, the unexpected happened.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" Someone behind Bellatrix shouted. Bellatrix's wand flew from her grasp. Enraged, Bellatrix spun around to reveal..James Potter?  
  
"Give it here, Potter," Bellatrix hissed. "Unless you want to play too."  
  
James raised his wand menacingly; he was so furious he could hardly think straight. He had arrived just in time to see Snivellus Stun Lily. Thank Merlin Bellatrix hadn't had time to perform the Cruciatus Curse on her. Before he was aware of doing it, he had hurtled Bellatrix into the air as she had done to Lily and was spinning her about. Lestrange, who had been watching Bellatrix's antics with Lily from a distance, advanced on him menacingly.  
  
"Wouldn't try it, Lestrange, not unless you want to see your girlfriend spattered on the stone," James warned. Lestrange stepped back, fury in his face.  
  
James let Bellatrix drop anyway. She fell with a bloodcurdling shriek that echoed through the hall.  
  
Snape had seen enough. Spinning on his heel, he started down the hallway.  
  
"Not so fast, Snivellus!" James flicked his wand and Snape went sprawling on the floor. "How does it feel to be the helpless ones for a change?" James asked Snape, Bellatrix, and Lestrange, his voice shaking with anger. "How does it feel to know that I could do anything I like to you and you wouldn't be able to do a damned thing about it? Answer me!"  
  
James levitated Lestrange as well. He had them spinning again, both of them, and let them drop one at a time.  
  
"James!" Remus exclaimed. "What in hell do you think you're doing? Peter's gone to get help, Let Dumbledore deal with that lot."  
  
"They can't get away with this!" James shouted. He hurtled Lestrange and Bellatrix, back into the air and spun them, then dropped them again. They WOULDN'T get away with this.  
  
"Stop it! Just stop it, Potter! Put them down!"  
  
James stopped, turning to face Lily, leaving Bellatrix and Lestrange suspended in the air. Lily had raised herself to a crouching position, and the look of contempt in her beautiful green eyes made James faintly sick.  
  
"Lily.I mean Evans," James tried to explain. "How can you want them to get some joke of a detention from Dumbledore after what they did to you? They deserve to suffer for what they did."  
  
"You really don't get it, do you Potter?" The contempt and pity in Lily's voice was almost too much for James to bear. "You really don't understand it at all. What you're doing to them is exactly what they did to me and you're doing it for the same reason, for revenge," Lily paused, on the verge of tears. James started toward her, but Lily moved away.  
  
Don't you get it?" Lily said again, her voice rising, her contempt even more apparent. "That makes you exactly the same as they are, you've lowered yourself to their level," she paused to take a breath, shuddering. "You're no different from them, Potter. You're no better than they are."  
  
James felt nauseous. Little spots danced before his eyes, and he felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his world.  
  
A commotion at the end of the corridor signaled the arrival of the teachers. No one had ever seen Dumbledore so furious. He strode down the corridor towards them, McGonagall and Peter following in his wake, taking in Lily crumpled on the floor, James' destroyed expression, Snape's inscrutable one and the two Slytherins suspended in the air. He swept forward until he came to a stop in front of Lily.  
  
"Are you all right, my dear?" he asked Lily gently.  
  
James slowly lowered Lestrange and Bellatrix to the ground, too stunned and sick to look at anyone. Lily's words, and the look in her eyes as she said them, would stay with him forever.  
  
He didn't know if he could stand that, he really didn't.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Well, there it is, Bellatrix' revenge. Please review and tell me what you thought. The next chapter will be up soon, still plenty more to come. As always, thanks to those of you who did review, especially maggie, smol, Tropic of Scorpio, and James Potter09. 


	10. Aftermath

Chapter 9 Aftermath  
  
Dumbledore and the professors that had accompanied him said little as they conjured stretchers for those who needed them and escorted the entire company of students present to the hospital wing to be inspected by Madam Pomfrey. None of them needed to say anything, their furious, sickened expressions said it all. Professor McGonagall looked as though she were working hard not to say anything, and when Dumbledore and Flitwick passed her with Lily's stretcher, her eyes went rather red.  
  
In the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey too was more upset than any of them had ever seen her. As the group entered, Madam Pomfrey rushed to those on stretchers, Lily, Alice, Morwenna, Dorcas, and Kathleen, first, exclaiming over them, and began to treat Lily, who was by far the worst off. Before she could get very far, Dumbledore and McGonagall pulled her aside, presumably to tell her what had happened, because when she came back she wore the same furious, disgusted expression all of the professors wore.  
  
"I'll see to you lot shortly, though I'm sure you don't deserve it," Madam Pomfrey informed the few Slytherins who had sustained minor injuries in the fray in a cold voice. She then continued to examine Lily's injuries.  
  
"All right, mate?" Sirius nudged James, keeping his expression carefully neutral. James nodded wordlessly, even though he was fairly certain that he'd never felt worse in his life.  
  
"All of those who do not need their injuries tended to will follow me," Professor McGonagall announced in a tightly controlled voice. "Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak with you."  
  
James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Frank followed their classmates out, all of them stealing glances over their shoulders at the people lying in the beds. All with the exception of James. He couldn't even look at Lily now, not now that he knew how she really saw him.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily had very possibly never felt worse in her entire life.  
  
Broken ribs and ankle, a fairly severe concussion, and loads of bruises, Madam Pomfrey had said. No one had mentioned the injuries that Madam Pomfrey couldn't fix. How was Lily ever to feel safe again? How could she, knowing that there were people in the world like Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange who did things like this and reveled in the pain and misery they caused?  
  
"Lily?" a kind, wise, and familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. "Are you able to tell me what happened?"  
  
Lily sighed and, summoning her courage, opened her mouth and began to tell Dumbledore everything, starting with the incident on Halloween.  
  
* * *  
  
Dumbledore kept them waiting almost two hours.  
  
Even though the tension in the room could have been cut with a knife, no one said or did anything. Professor McGonagall sat there, daring them to. And nobody did, even though it was a close thing.  
  
Many of the Slytherins wore rather smug expressions, but none more so than Bellatrix and Lestrange, who were positively ebullient. James found it very hard to be in that room with them and not throttle them both, and he knew the others did too.  
  
Sirius was just as furious and possibly more so than James. Every time his eyes rested on his younger brother Regulus, a Slytherin who had participated in today's debacle, Sirius would emit a deep growl from the back of his throat, fists clenched. He couldn't even allow himself to look at Bellatrix.  
  
None the worse for wear after being dropped to the floor by James, Bellatrix looked, in fact, as if she'd never been better. James was fairly certain that had McGonagall not been keeping such a close eye on her, Bellatrix would have laughed aloud out of sheer glee.  
  
Finally the door swung open and Dumbledore swept into the room, looking as coldly furious as he ever had, and possibly more so after hearing the Gryffindor girls' stories.  
  
Dumbledore and McGonagall conferred for a moment, then Dumbledore moved to the front of the room, piercing them all with his intense blue stare.  
  
"I have just finished speaking with Dorcas Meadows, Kathleen Kirkpatrick, Morwenna Marchbanks, Alice Prewett, and Lily Evans," Dumbledore paused, locking eyes with each of the Slytherins in turn. "And," Dumbledore continued, "I challenge you all to offer me one valid reason why any of you should be allowed to remain at Hogwarts."  
  
There was some surprised and uncomfortable rustling among the Slytherins, but nobody said a word. Bellatrix appeared openly and coolly dismissive.  
  
The silence had become almost unbearable before Dumbledore finally spoke again. "Very well," he said solemnly. "Will Misters Potter, Sirius Black, Lupin, Pettigrew, and Longbottom please come with me? The rest of you may stay here, I shall wish to speak with some of you individually." With that, Dumbledore moved toward the door, James and the others following behind him.  
  
Stopping in another empty classroom further down the hall, Dumbledore turned to face them. "I have spoken with the girls who were attacked, all of whom will be fine, though they will all be staying in the hospital wing for one night and Miss Evans possibly for two," Dumbledore's eyes flicked to James' as he said the last part and James started in surprise.  
  
"I would like you all," Dumbledore continued mildly, "to tell me everything you know of the incident, including anything you may have heard about it beforehand as well as what you saw and did when you arrived on the scene."  
  
Remus told most of the story of what they had seen and heard before the attack, with the others jumping in occasionally, then they went round the room, each of them giving their own personal account of what had happened in the Potions corridor. No one, however, mentioned what James had done to Bellatrix and Lestrange.  
  
"And why was Severus Snape on the ground when Professor McGonagall and myself found you?" Dumbledore asked James, his blue eyes piercing.  
  
James didn't hesitate. "He was running away, Professor, after I'd cornered Bellatrix and Lestrange, and I did a Stumbling Spell so he wouldn't get away. I saw him Stun L - Evans when she was trying to get away from Bellatrix."  
  
"I saw him too, Professor," Sirius put in earnestly. "He Stunned Evans so that Bellatrix could perform the Cruciatus Curse on her,"  
  
"These are very serious accusations," Dumbledore said blandly. "However, none of the girls, Miss Evans herself included, know who Stunned her as she was escaping." Dumbledore's expression conveyed very clearly that he didn't want to hear any more on the subject. With that, he led all five of them back to the classroom where the Slytherins were waiting.  
  
Professor Astral, the head of Slytherin House, had joined Professor McGonagall in keeping an eye on the Slytherins and wore the now familiar disgusted, furious expression. Quickly James and the others took their seats as Dumbledore once more faced the assembled students.  
  
"I have now spoken to all of the Gryffindors involved in the incident and now intend to speak privately with all of the Slytherins," Dumbledore announced. "Misters Potter, Sirius Black, Lupin, Pettigrew, and Longbottom are free to go, as will Mr.Snape be as soon as I have spoken with him. These students have been determined to be innocent of any wrongdoing. As for the rest of you, a disciplinary hearing will take place the week after the holidays have concluded. Your parents will be asked to attend this hearing, and I will let you know my decision about whether or not you will be allowed to continue at Hogwarts at that time. Mr. Snape, come with me, and Mr. Potter, you and your friends are dismissed."  
  
Casting murderous glares in Snape's direction, the Marauders and Frank made their way to the door. For his part, James was dumbfounded. How could Dumbledore let Snape get off scot-free after what he'd done?  
  
"That slimy little git," Sirius fumed. "Always lurking about, making himself agreeable to the right people, sticking his slimy nose where it doesn't belong, and then when he finally does do something slimy out in the open, Dumbledore doesn't believe he did it!"  
  
"Who says Dumbledore doesn't believe he did it?" Remus observed shrewdly. "He never said that. I think Dumbledore has his reasons for doing what he did."  
  
"And what reasons are those, that he's daft?" Sirius snapped. "Thanks to Snivellus, Bellatrix very nearly performed the Cruciatus Curse on Evans, or didn't you notice?"  
  
"I noticed," Remus said stiffly, mouth compressed. "I'm not saying that Snape wasn't wrong, I'm saying Dumbledore has his reasons and I trust him, as should you."  
  
Sirius opened his mouth to argue, but Frank interrupted. "For the love of Merlin, can't you two just shut it? There've been quite enough petty grudges that've gotten bloody well out of hand today without you lot joining in!"  
  
Effectively chastised, Sirius and Remus fell silent.  
  
* * *  
  
For his part, Snape had no idea what Dumbledore was about. It was impossible to determine whether Dumbledore really didn't believe that Potter, and probably Black too, had seen him Stun Evans, or whether he did but had his own reasons not to punish Severus.  
  
Snape had no regrets about what he'd done. It had been a calculated move in the first place, done at a crucial point, which would make Bellatrix and consequently Lestrange grateful to him, and done in plain view of the right people, i.e. Lestrange, Bellatrix, and the rest of the select few, which would prove his loyalty beyond a shadow of a doubt. He hadn't necessarily wanted to see Evans hurt, but this whole damned escapade had never been about what he wanted. He'd owed Lestrange proof of his fidelity, and now Lestrange had it. That was as far as Snape's interest went because that was as far as it concerned him, fortunately. He was immensely relieved that Dumbledore had in effect announced that he would not be expelled from school. Thank Merlin this ridiculous, juvenile machination wouldn't ruin his entire career. In fact, it very well might enhance it.  
  
Dumbledore had led Snape to his office, and now indicated the chair before his desk to Snape.  
  
"Sit down, Severus," Dumbledore said politely. "Now perhaps you wouldn't mind telling me how exactly you were involved in today's events and any other information you feel might be pertinent."  
  
Snape gave him a carefully edited version, claiming that he, and as far as he knew, the others involved, hadn't ever intended for it to go so far. It had been intended as a simple prank, revenge over some schoolgirl slight, or some such thing.  
  
Dumbledore listened politely to Snape the entire time, his clear blue eyes missing nothing. Snape did some sizing up of his own. He still couldn't tell whether or not Dumbledore believed him.  
  
"Thank you, Severus," Dumbledore said once Snape had finished. "You are free to go." Snape rose, eager to be away from that penetrating, disconcerting stare. He gathered up his bag hurriedly and moved quickly toward the door, but before he could open it, Dumbledore's voice stopped him once more.  
  
"Oh, and Severus?" Snape turned reluctantly, feeling Dumbledore's eyes assessing him once more. "Do enjoy your holiday," Dumbledore finished, eyes twinkling.  
  
In that moment, Snape understood why Voldemort feared Dumbledore as he did no other living wizard.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily awoke in the hospital wing the next morning filled with aches and pains. Madam Pomfrey had healed her bones yesterday, but she was still sorer than she had ever been in her life.  
  
I feel like someone threw me into a wall, Lily thought, grimacing. Oh wait, they did. And onto the floor as well, she finished wryly.  
  
Lily heard the curtains round her bed scrape back slightly, and she opened her eyes to see Morwenna peeking in at her.  
  
"Come in," Lily smiled at her friend. Morwenna grinned back at her and entered, followed by Alice, Dorcas, and Kathleen, all of whom appeared to be more or less all right.  
  
"How're you feeling, Lils?" Alice asked, sitting down gingerly on Lily's bed.  
  
"All right. You?" Lily asked, looking round at her friends.  
  
"All right," they chorused, smiling at her.  
  
"Lily, Madam Pomfrey says you can come out of hospital tomorrow and I want you to come and stay with me for the holidays," Morwenna said earnestly.  
  
"Or you're always welcome at my house, Lils," Dorcas offered.  
  
"Or mine," Kathleen piped up.  
  
"Or mine," Alice added.  
  
"So many offers. I should let Bellatrix drop me on my arse more often," Lily teased. Dorcas and Alice laughed, but Morwenna and Kathleen looked rather scandalized.  
  
"Sirius and Frank and Remus and Peter were here visiting us earlier, but Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let them wake you," Alice reported.  
  
"Potter didn't come, I think you hurt his feelings or something," Kathleen confided.  
  
Lily sighed. "I suppose I did go a bit hard on him."  
  
"No shite," Morwenna snorted.  
  
"I meant what I said, though," Lily maintained. "Revenge is revenge, and the fact that they hurt me doesn't make it right to do the same to them."  
  
"I think you're right about that, but I don't think Potter meant to do it," Alice said unexpectedly. "He isn't like them, Lily, you were wrong about that. I think he's a good person underneath all of his shite and arrogance."  
  
Lily wasn't convinced, but it did give her something to think about.  
  
The rest of the morning passed by quickly. Alice, Morwenna, Kathleen, and Dorcas left to pack, then returned later on to say goodbye before boarding the Hogwarts Express. Lily was checked out by Madam Pomfrey again, who said she was pleased with her progress but wanted to keep her one more night to keep an eye on her concussion. That afternoon, Lily wrote a letter to Marlene McKinnon explaining what had happened and asked if she could come and stay with her after all. She had a reply from Marlene within the hour saying that of course Lily could still visit her and that she would come and fetch Lily from Hogwarts tomorrow at noon.  
  
Lily's parents arrived a bit later, having been informed and brought to Hogwarts by Professor McGonagall. They were nearly out of their minds with worry and fussed over Lily till she couldn't stand it, offering to cancel their holiday and take her directly home and to a Muggle doctor. Finally Lily had to say something.  
  
"Mum! Daddy! Please, I'm all right. I don't want you to cancel this holiday, it's too important to Petunia. I've written to my friend Marlene McKinnon - You remember Marlene? She came to stay with us once- and she has said I can come to stay with her. It's what I want, honestly it is. She understands what it's like, being a Muggle born witch."  
  
Mrs. Evans' eyes filled with tears. "Oh, darling, of course you can go and stay with Marlene if that's what you want. I can understand that you need somebody who knows what it's like right now." She kissed Lily for the umpteenth time.  
  
"Marlene is a nice girl and she'll take good car of you, I'm sure," Mr. Evans smiled kindly. "Just be sure to write to us if you need anything and we'll come straight home. It's not as if we'll be having much fun with the Dullsleys at any rate." Lily began to laugh, then winced slightly and settled for grinning instead. Damn Bellatrix.  
  
"Charles!" Mrs. Evans scolded. "What a dreadful thing to call Petunia's future husband's family!" But her twitching lips gave her away.  
  
Her parents having gone to meet with Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Astoral before returning home, Lily sighed with relief. Finally, a moment to herself.  
  
Lily lay back on her pillow, absentmindedly twisting her hair round her finger. She wanted nothing more than to be out of this bed, out of Hogwarts, and somewhere far away where she could finally think about everything in peace.  
  
* * *  
  
James Potter lay on his bed in the dark, not bothering to turn on a light. Lily's words had been haunting him ever since she'd said them, partly because he hated the fact that she thought so little of him when he loved her and partly because he was afraid she was right.  
  
He thought about all he had heard about the Death Eaters and about what his dad had said about Bartemius Crouch, the head of the Magical Law Enforcement Division.  
  
Crouch had recently authorized the Aurors to use the Unforgivable Curses on Death Eaters in order to bring them in. James' dad had said that this made the Aurors no different from the Death Eaters, that using the Unforgivable Curses would turn the Aurors into mindless killing machines whose laws and ways were no better than Voldemort's. It was their humanity, Mr. Potter had said, that made their side right and Voldemort's side wrong and that if their side lost their humanity than their side was no more right than Voldemort's.  
  
James hadn't thought much about his father's words until now. Lily had in effect said the same thing, and about him. He realized now that even though Bellatrix and Lestrange had spun Lily in the air and dropped her to the floor like a poppet it didn't make it right to do it to them. Bellatrix was stark raving mad, and Lestrange wasn't far behind her. James was the better person and should have acted like it instead of following their example.  
  
James heard the door click and a second later saw Sirius' face directly above his own. "You are not going to spend this entire vacation moping about over Evans," Sirius announced. "I thought I'd let you get it out of your system for a bit, but now your time is up." Sirius yanked James off the bed. "Come on!" he urged. "We have to be in the Great Hall on time for dinner. I've spiked the pumpkin juice with Ogden's Old Firewhiskey and I'm curious as to what kind of drunk McGonagall makes."  
  
"Padfoot, you great prat," James said affectionately, more grateful to his best friend than he could say for making him feel like a person again.  
  
"And don't you forget it," Sirius returned cheerfully, understanding as always what James meant without him having to actually say it. "Shall we be off then?" Sirius started eagerly toward the door, his typical hellion grin very much in evidence.  
  
Shaking his head but grinning all the same, James followed Sirius out of the room.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Wow, thanks for all the reviews, everyone! I'm glad you liked the chapter. There are still big things to come, so keep reading. Special thanks to ChickbabeC, juliet's rose, James Potter09, Tropic of Scorpio, maggie, and MarryMeJames. Don't forget to review! 


	11. Bad Moon Arising

Chapter 10 Bad Moon Arising  
  
Even though, at Sirius' insistence, James didn't spend the entire holiday moping, he did think a good deal about what Lily had said to him that day in the hallway, and he grew more and more convinced that she had been right.  
  
Unfortunately, she wasn't around so James could tell her.  
  
He had found out from Remus after he and the others had come back from visiting Lily in the hospital wing that Lily would be staying with Marlene McKinnon for the holidays and was leaving the next day, as soon as Madam Pomfrey let her leave the hospital wing, in fact.  
  
James was not as put out by this as he would have been before Bellatrix's attack. The mere idea of facing Lily Evans right now was galling. He did not share this information with his fellow Marauders, and if they were surprised by how well he was facing Lily's departure they did not say anything, even though they knew that James had planned to use this holiday to spend more time with her.  
  
The holiday passed by as pleasantly as it usually did. Ever since they had learned Remus' secret in their second year, James, Sirius, and Peter had always made it a point to stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas holidays with him. Remus stayed because of the convenience of using the Shrieking Shack; he didn't like to burden his family more than he had to. So James, Sirius, and Peter kept him company. And this year, of course, they could keep him company the entire time.  
  
The full moon wasn't until the last weekend of the holidays this year, but the four Marauders found loads of things to occupy their time, mostly pulling pranks on the students and staff who had remained at Hogwarts, planning new pranks to try once school began again, and, in Sirius' case anyway, snogging at least half, if not the entire, female population that had remained over the holidays. They also made frequent trips to the kitchens; they were longstanding favorites with the house elves, who had known the Marauders since they had found the kitchens in their second year.  
  
James was having so much fun, in fact, planning and executing pranks and ribbing Sirius about being Hogwarts' reigning slut, that he wasn't thinking too often of Lily Evans, only a dozen times a day or so, which was a new personal best for him.  
  
Which was why he was completely unprepared to see Lily at breakfast two days after New Year's Eve.  
  
James felt the bottom drop out of his stomach and his heart flip- flopped more violently than usual. It would seem that he wasn't getting over her after all.  
  
* * *  
  
Despite its nightmarish start, Lily had had a marvelous holiday. Being with Marlene had been very comforting; she could tell her what had happened and how she felt about it without having to explain anything about being a Muggle born witch to Marlene as she did with her other friends.  
  
They had spent Christmas with Marlene's husband Andrew's parents at their estate in Yorkshire. Andrew's parents had had a large party and none of the witches or wizards present, to Lily's surprise, had thought any the less of her or Marlene for being Muggle born. Andrew's father and several of his Ministry friends had all gotten a bit tipsy on eggnog and had sung several rousing choruses of "God Rest Ye Merry, Hippogriffs" at the tops of their lungs, which had indeed been a sight to see.  
  
Marlene and Andrew had hosted a party at their London flat for New Year's, which had been another marvelous time. Lily had visited with several people who were Marlene's age that she hadn't seen since they had been at Hogwarts, and she'd met a famous Auror from America who had been brought in to help in the fight against Voldemort.  
  
Lily had told Marlene that she wanted to go back to Hogwarts on New Year's Day so she would arrive before the others and have some time to get used to being back.  
  
"It's so strange to think of Hogwarts feeling unsafe," Lily had said thoughtfully as she and Marlene were packing her trunk.  
  
"It's still the safest place in the wizarding world," Marlene said matter of factly, then added in a sad tone. "And to think even it hasn't been untouched by Voldemort and his Death Eaters."  
  
"I have to admit that even after what happened to me there Hogwarts still does seem to be the safest place. Nobody knows where Voldemort is, the only place they know he isn't is Hogwarts." Lily said, putting a stack of folded robes into her trunk.  
  
"And the Aurors can't do much to find him really, not with all of the Death Eater attacks they have to contend with, and they haven't the right contacts in the first place," Marlene pointed out. "They have no idea where to begin looking because they don't know much about him really."  
  
After that conversation, Lily had felt much better about returning to school. And it hadn't been so bad seeing everyone at breakfast. She sat with her friend Olivia Sullivan, who was in seventh year, and exchanged holiday stories.  
  
Lily noticed that James Potter was staring, as he often was, but she couldn't send him her usual filthy look or scathing comment. She didn't want to look at him and be reminded of what he had done to Bellatrix and Lestrange that day, of the fury in his expression and his voice. It disconcerted her in more ways than one. That he had descended to the Slytherins' level was one matter, and that he had done it on her behalf was another point of discomfort, and it confused Lily more than she cared to admit. So rather than be reminded, she simply ignored him.  
  
* * *  
  
James noticed Lily ignoring him deliberately, and he felt even worse. She hated him even more now, if that was even possible. He finally looked away and tried to pay attention to his friends' conversation.  
  
Sirius was glaring at Snape as had become his habit over the past couple of weeks, and if looks could kill, Snape would have been a medical marvel after having died so many times. It rankled deeply with Sirius that Snape hadn't been punished for his role in the Slytherins' attack.  
  
"How could Dumbledore do it?" Sirius snarled, not for the first time. "How can he let that bastard off after we SAW him Stun Lily?"  
  
"Dumbledore must have had his reasons," Remus replied, also not for the first time. "Trust Dumbledore to do the right thing, Sirius."  
  
"No!" Sirius practically shouted, turning a few heads. He lowered his voice. "The fact is, Moony, that Dumbledore let a person walk who helped Bellatrix catch Evans so she could torture her with the Cruciatus Curse. And Dumbledore did it despite all of the evidence against him. James and I saw him do it, for Merlin's sake. And that was wrong."  
  
"Take it easy there, Padfoot," James said, slightly alarmed by his friend's vehemence.  
  
"I can't take this easy, Prongs," Sirius said simply. "I can take loads of things easily, but not this."  
  
* * *  
  
Snape stifled a yawn over breakfast on Friday morning. Another holiday had nearly come and gone, thank Merlin. Snape abhorred Christmas and the ridiculous sentimentality and false good cheer it promoted. Classes would begin again on Monday, and Snape looked forward to the return of his normal routine.  
  
And for the first time this year it would truly be his normal routine without the watchful eye of Lestrange hovering over him. His Stunning of Evans in the corridor and avoidance of any kind of repercussions had convinced Lestrange of his commitment to both the Dark Lord and to the principles that he embraced as well as his skill at keeping such activities from the notice of the wrong people. Lestrange had told him as much, though not in so many words, before departing for the holidays.  
  
Snape looked up to find a school owl holding a letter in its beak and looking at him expectantly. Puzzled, Snape took the letter and the owl flew away. He had no idea as to who would send him a letter via school owl. His parents would use the family owl, and Snape did not correspond with anyone else.  
  
He weighed the letter in the palm of his hand for a moment, debating whether or not he should open it. Snape detested surprises and was not certain that he trusted whoever had sent him this letter.  
  
Curiosity won out this once, however, and Snape left the table abruptly, the letter clutched in one fist. Once he had reached the privacy of the small study room near his dormitory, Snape locked the door magically and then opened the letter.  
  
The handwriting was indistinct and written in all caps, making it impossible to trace. The message was short and there was no signature. Frowning, Snape leaned closer to read it.  
  
"Snape - " The letter began,  
  
"If you are curious to know where it is that Remus Lupin disappears to every month and what he does during that time, come to the Whomping Willow alone at six thirty tonight. The tree will be deactivated. Follow the tunnel under the tree, and you will have your answer."  
  
* * *  
  
James was lounging on his bed late that afternoon, yawning and reading Quidditch Through the Ages for the eleventh time, when Sirius walked in wearing what James privately thought of as his "suspicious look."  
  
"All right, Padfoot?" James greeted his friend. "Full moon in approximately.." James consulted his wristwatch, "an hour and a half. Is there really a vampire meeting in The Hog's Head tonight or were you just taking the mickey out of Peter because I - "  
  
"Prongs," Sirius interrupted in a rather tense tone, glancing round the room furtively. "Where are Moony and Wormtail? We're still going at seven like we talked about, right?"  
  
"Moony's in the hospital wing, obviously, Peter's in the library taking a nap, and yeah we're still leaving at seven," James replied, puzzled. "What are you on about anyway? You're a bit jumpy you know."  
  
"Prongs, I'm going to tell you a secret and you can't tell the others, ever , especially Moony," Sirius said urgently.  
  
"What are you on about? Tell them what?" James was thoroughly baffled by now.  
  
Sirius took a deep breath. "I sent a note telling Snape to go to the Willow at six thirty if he wanted to see where Moony goes every month."  
  
"WHAT?!!" James exploded. "HAVE YOU GONE COMPLETELY DAFT?"  
  
"Keep your voice down," Sirius cautioned him irritably.  
  
"Sirius," James said in a would-be calm voice. "If Snape goes through the tunnel into the Shrieking Shack, he'll meet the REAL Moony, and Moony will tear him into bite-sized pieces."  
  
"I wouldn't let that happen," Sirius protested. "I'll be watching the whole time. But I said I wouldn't let him just get away with what he did. I told you I wanted to get Snape for Stunning Evans, and you agreed!" Sirius exclaimed, incensed.  
  
"When I said that I thought you were going to Stun Snape and tie him up in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom or put a Dungbomb down the back of his robes or something, not feed him to a werewolf!" James retorted just as hotly. "Don't you get it? Snape could die!!"  
  
"I told you, I won't let it come to that, I just want to scare him a bit," Sirius scoffed. "And it serves him right to be scared. Can you even imagine how Evans felt when that bastard Stunned her? Can you imagine how all of them felt when Snape helped to attack them? He's the only one we saw planning that meeting and who we know attacked someone who didn't catch it from Dumbledore. It's not fair, James, and I can't let him get away with it!"  
  
James looked frantically at his wristwatch. "Damn, it's nearly six now! Where would Snape be? Help me think! We can still stop him!"  
  
"I'm not stopping him," Sirius said firmly. "And I can't believe you would let Snape get away with this. I thought you cared about Evans."  
  
"What Snape did to Lily and the others was wrong, but it doesn't mean we should feed him to Moony," James said. "That's more payback than he deserves and you know it."  
  
"Evans has turned you soft in the head, Prongs," Sirius said sadly. "Just a few months ago you'd have thought this was funny, would've helped me plan it. We would've had a good laugh over it. It's just Snivellus, James."  
  
"Well then I reckon it's about time I realized that it's not funny, and it's about time you did too," James replied grimly. "I'm going to go and try to find Snape, head him off before he gets there. You can come or not."  
  
With that, James caught up his invisibility cloak and dashed out of the room and down the stairs, still trying to determine where Snape would most likely be.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily pulled her cloak more closely around her as she walked briskly across the grounds toward the castle. She had stayed at Hagrid's hut longer than she had intended to playing Exploding Snap and now it was almost completely dark.  
  
Lily had been friends with Hagrid the gamekeeper ever since her second year when he had found her crying in his pumpkin patch after Avery and Wilkes had called her a Mudblood. She went to his little hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest periodically for dinner and Exploding Snap, even though Hagrid was a terrible cook and she never knew exactly what she would find in her food. Even still, Hagrid was one of the kindest and most interesting people she knew.  
  
Walking a bit faster, Lily stifled a shiver. Merlin, but it was cold tonight.  
  
Approaching the front doors of the castle, she saw a figure in a black hooded cloak hurry out, look furtively behind them, and then begin striding purposefully in the general direction of the lake. Lily sighed, debating. As a Prefect, she probably should follow the student and see where they were going. On the other hand, it was bloody cold out here and she had recently learned to be cautious the hard way.  
  
The figure was disappearing farther and farther into the distance, in a minute they would round the corner. Lily started forward discreetly and very quietly, intending to watch from a distance to determine whether she should summon a teacher or tell the student off herself for snogging or some other such minor infraction.  
  
The figure rounded the corner and Lily hurried forward so as not to lose sight of them. She could just make out the cloaked figure as it made its way to the Whomping Willow. Lily was puzzled: what would anyone want to do with that horrid tree, especially after what had happened to Davy Gudgeon in first year?  
  
But apparently this person was quite interested in the tree for whatever reason. The figure circled the tree cautiously before tossing a stick into the branches. Lily waited expectantly for the telltale snap, but it never came. The tree remained immobile, harmless as any ordinary tree. Stranger still.  
  
Apparently satisfied, the figure wasted no time in clambering down a hole or some such thing at the tree's base and disappeared from view.  
  
* * *  
  
James tore through the corridor, his cloak tucked under his arm. He didn't stop till he'd reached the entrance to the Slytheirn dormitories, where he hurriedly pulled the cloak on and whispered "Serpent" to the portrait, which immediately swung open.  
  
The common room was completely deserted, so James immediately headed for the right-hand staircase, which he knew from experience to be the one that led to the boys' dormitories. Pushing open the door to the sixth year dormitory, James peeked inside. No Snape here either. He quickly tried the study rooms. Nothing.  
  
After a quick survey of the library and Great Hall, James had no choice but to face the worst: Snape had already left for his "rendezvous" at the tree. Making up his mind, James made for the front doors.  
  
* * *  
  
Afraid that the figure had somehow fallen and was unable to get back up, Lily hurried over to the tree and, darting forward, peered into the hole, which wasn't a hole at all, as it turned out, but some sort of tunnel. She could see the figure a bit further on; apparently he or she had heard her as well because it paused, listening, then continued gingerly on.  
  
Reluctant but too curious to turn round now, Lily descended the rest of the way into the tunnel and began following the figure, careful to keep her distance.  
  
A few moments later, Lily heard running footsteps and someone gasping for breath behind her.  
  
"Snape!" whoever it was bellowed. "Snape, wait, don't go any further! Stand where you are!" Obviously this unknown person thought she was Snape. Lily turned around, her hand on her wand in her pocket, and saw James Potter running toward her.  
  
"Potter?" Lily exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"  
  
James came to an abrupt halt when he heard that voice. "Evans.." James moaned. "No no no, this can't be happening!"  
  
"Are you playing some sort of prank on Snape?" Lily demanded.  
  
"Is he here? Have you seen him?" James queried, looking deeply upset. "It's really, really important, Evans."  
  
"If you're playing another cruel prank on him I'm not going to help you," Lily said matter-of-factly.  
  
"I'm not playing a prank on him, Lily, I swear to Merlin," James said earnestly. "But if you don't tell me where he is, he'll be in very deep shite. And I mean life or death, literally. Snape is walking into something very dangerous and he doesn't know it."  
  
Lily tilted her head to the side and studied James for a moment, deciding that she believed him.  
  
"I followed someone into the tunnel but I can't make out who, he's wearing a hooded cloak," Lily admitted. "But he seemed to know exactly where he was going and what he needed to do to get into the tunnel. He's up ahead a ways"  
  
"Shite!" James swore, kicking the tree. Then he turned to face Lily and put his hands on her shoulders. "Lily, listen to me very carefully," he said earnestly. "You need to turn round and go back to the castle, and whatever sounds you may hear coming from the tunnel, don't come back here. There's - something - down here that's very, very dangerous and you could get hurt if you come. I can't tell you anymore, but please, please just trust me on this, Lily. Just this once?"  
  
Mesmerized and more than a little surprised by the honesty and intensity in James' hazel eyes as they burned into hers, Lily slowly nodded her head. James gave her a small smile before moving past her and racing hell-bent down the tunnel.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Sorry this update was such a long time in coming. The next chapter should be up on Saturday or Sunday. While you're waiting, don't forget to review. I don't even know who to thank specially this time, all of your reviews were really sweet. So special thanks to everybody. You're all amazing and motivate me to keep writing. 


	12. Secrets Revealed

Chapter 11 Secrets Revealed  
  
Lily stood where James had left her, lost in indecision. Should she do what he had asked her to and return to the castle, or should she stay and see if she could be of any help? If whatever was in this tunnel was as dangerous as Potter had said, she hardly felt comfortable with leaving Potter and Snape here to face it.  
  
James' footsteps had died away by this time. Feeling apprehensive standing in this dank tunnel with danger lurking round the next corner, as far as she knew, Lily lit her wand and peered into the gloom in the direction James had gone.  
  
She was so engrossed in trying to see James and Snape that she didn't notice the running footsteps behind her until they were almost upon her.  
  
Lily jumped as someone touched her shoulder and whirled around to face Sirius Black.  
  
* * *  
  
James' legs sped along the tunnel as fast as they would go. Please, please, he thought over and over again, let me get there in time.  
  
Finally he saw the figure in black up ahead. The figure had removed his hood and was now recognizable as Snape. He turned around as he heard James approach but did not stop when James called out to him. Instead, he picked up his pace until he was running flat-out.  
  
Not to be deterred, James gave chase, his desperation giving him extra speed. They were close, too close, to the Shrieking Shack now, and if James didn't get to Snape in time -  
  
Speeding up even more, James caught up to Snape and dove at him, tackling him to the floor of the tunnel. Snape gave a loud "Ooof!" when the breath was knocked from him as they hit the ground. Cursing and struggling, Snape managed to shove a wheezing James off of him.  
  
"What in the bloody hell are you about, Potter?" Snape demanded, his habitual cool reserve disappearing as it often did when he encountered James.  
  
"Snape," James gasped, still trying to catch his breath. "You have to listen to me. What's waiting at the end of this tunnel is dangerous, deadly even. You can't go any further; it isn't safe even here. We have to make our way back to the Whomping Willow as quickly as possible."  
  
"Nice try, Potter," Snape sneered. "But I happen to know that your friend Lupin is at the end of this tunnel and that you're just protecting his pathetic little secret, whatever it may be. But I'll tell you this: when I catch him in whatever illegal activity he's engaged in I'll have him expelled, and you as well for covering up for him."  
  
James tried to hide his disgust at the gleeful expression in Snape's eyes at the thought of his expulsion. "That letter was a set up, Snape," he said quietly. "The person who sent it to you wanted to get back at you for - certain things - because that person knew what was in this tunnel and wanted to scare you."  
  
Snape snorted, his eyes contemptuous, but James could detect a hint of surprise in them as well. "I won't even inquire as to how you found out about the letter, but I think I can determine what's dangerous and what isn't for myself, thanks. Now if you'll just step aside, Potter, you might be in less trouble when this whole thing is brought before Dumbledore."  
  
Snape made to push past James, who stood his ground determinedly. The two circled each other ferociously, like two tigers about to compete for territory. Finally Snape threw the first punch, his right fist landing on James' jaw. James returned with his left, sending Snape staggering back. The two continued to eye each other warily, both waiting for the other to make his move.  
  
Snape knew he couldn't win this fight, they might be somewhat well matched when it came to wizardry, but physically James had the clear advantage. Years of Quidditch training had sharpened his reflexes and strengthened his muscles, whereas Snape was not a physical person at all with little strength and clumsy reflexes.  
  
So Snape did the only thing he could do. He drew his wand and shot a Conjunctivitis Curse into James' eye, blinding him momentarily. Snape wasted no time in dashing past him, knowing that his aim had been poor and the spell had not hit James fully in the eye.  
  
Recovering quickly, eyes stinging, James once again pursued Snape down the tunnel, cursing him under his breath. Snape was going to end up as Moony's midnight snack despite his best efforts to prevent it.  
  
Rounding a corner, James collided with something solid, nearly toppling them both over. Realizing it was Snape, James was about to open his mouth to ask him what in the bloody hell he was doing when a low growl echoing from a ways down the tunnel answered his question.  
  
Snape was about to meet Moony.  
  
* * *  
  
"Evans?" Sirius exclaimed. "What in Merlin's name are you doing here? Where's Pr - I mean James?"  
  
"He went chasing after Snape after telling me to go back to the castle," Lily reported, feeling like a messenger service.  
  
"Well he's right you know," Sirius snapped. "Get out of here before something happens to you. I'm going after James and Snivellus."  
  
"For your information, you arrogant, bossy little twit, I was just about to go and find Dumbledore," Lily snapped, frustrated and sick of being ordered around and left in the dark. "But if I do that, who's going to help you?"  
  
"I'll be fine," Sirius retorted a bit cockily. "And Peter should be along any time."  
  
"Yes, you're quite right, you and Peter should be fine," Lily said innocently, twirling a lock of crimson hair idly round her finger. "Tell me, how IS his nose? Did Madam Pomfrey manage to reverse that Engorgement Charm all right?"  
  
"That was an accident, " Sirius defended his friend. "Could've happened to anyone."  
  
Lily snorted in disbelief. "Anyone, eh? I'm a Muggle born and I know not to cast spells in front of mirrors."  
  
Sirius opened his mouth to reply but just then Peter came up to them looking thoroughly put out. "I can't believe you lot left without me! Seven o'clock, you said, but then you just take off early without saying a word. I'm just as much a part of these full moons as you are, and I'd like to know how you lot would even get to Remus without me to freeze the tree - "  
  
Peter broke off as he realized who was standing next to Sirius, his face going pale. "Ev - Evans? Wh - What - ?" Peter looked to Sirius, completely at a loss.  
  
"Peter, go back to the castle and fetch Professor Dumbledore," Lily said firmly. "Potter and Snape are down here and their lives may be in danger. Black and I will stay here and try to help them. Hurry! Go!"  
  
"She's right, Pete, go and get Dumbledore," Sirius said grudgingly. "But Evans is going with you."  
  
"But what if you need help?" Lily repeated stubbornly.  
  
Sirius sighed. "Go on Pete, this might take a bit." Peter hurried off, looking confused and apprehensive and rather guilty.  
  
"Look, Evans, it's very sweet and all that you want to be James' knight in shining armor, but this is dangerous shite. You're in way over your head here and you need to leave."  
  
"Will you shut -" Lily began, but Sirius cut her off.  
  
"Shhh! Listen."  
  
Lily and Sirius stood motionless, listening. They could hear running footsteps in the distance, and low, vicious growls. Sirius looked at Lily in horror.  
  
"Run!" he said urgently, giving Lily a little shove. "Don't stop till you get to the castle. Go! Now! Before it's too late!"  
  
"What about -" Lily stuttered, her face pale.  
  
"Don't worry about them or me. We can handle this. We've done it before. Just go!"  
  
Lily didn't need any more encouragement. She raced back through the tunnel faster than she had known she was capable of going. Unfortunately, she hadn't considered one factor:  
  
The Whomping Willow.  
  
* * *  
  
James tore down the tunnel, Snape at his heels, and considered whether or not he should risk transforming in front of Snape. In stag form, he could handle Moony and wouldn't be in any danger of joining him.  
  
But if Snape came through this alive, James had little doubt that he would ensure that James received a life sentence in Azkaban for becoming an unregistered Animagus and on the whole James would prefer lycanthropy to a lifetime of imprisonment and Snape's gloating.  
  
James rounded another bend. They didn't have much of a head start on Moony, he was sure of that, but he stopped anyway when he came face to face with Sirius. Snape stopped too, his fear evident on his face.  
  
"Go!" Sirius ordered them. "Peter's gone to fetch Dumbledore. You and Snape go join Evans by the Willow. I'll take care of our friend back there."  
  
Understanding that Sirius would transform and herd Moony back to the Shrieking Shack, James continued forward, Snape following his lead.  
  
* * *  
  
The tree got in only a few good hits before Lily managed to roll out of its reach. Panting, she wiped a trickle of blood from her face and tried to make out what was going on in the tunnel. But she was too far away now. The grounds were silent.  
  
Lily swiped at more blood from the cut in her forehead and moved away from the still-thrashing Whomping Willow. Vicious thing, really.  
  
To her utter surprise, the tree stopped moving mid-whomp and hung as limply and harmlessly as it had done earlier.  
  
There was some brief rustling, then two sweaty, panting figures became visible through the tree.  
  
Potter and Snape were alive after all.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily stood quietly to one side as the three boys stared each other down. In all of the years Lily had known Potter and Black, she had never seen them show any enmity towards each other.  
  
Until tonight, anyway.  
  
A few minutes after Snape and Potter had appeared, exhausted, from the tunnel, Sirius had emerged, nearly as sweaty, dirty, and tired as they were.  
  
Still trying to catch his breath, James had strode over to Sirius and swung at him, hitting him dead in the eye.  
  
"You bloody git!" James shouted, catching his breath at last. "You could have gotten the lot of us killed, you stupid prick!"  
  
James hadn't hit Sirius again but had continued to hurl insults at Sirius who, to Lily's surprise, hadn't argued with him or retaliated in any way. By this time Snape had caught his own breath and looked ready to do someone a serious injury.  
  
"I knew that the pair of you were capable of a great deal," Snape hissed, his voice dripping with venom. "But this little escapade qualifies as attempted murder. I'll have you both expelled, Lupin too if he had any role in tonight's proceedings, though he'll doubtless be expelled anyway for hiding this little secret. And you Black," Snape turned to face Sirius, his tone even more deadly. "If you did write that letter, which Potter as much as admitted to me, I will have you thrown in Azkaban. For. Life," Snape enunciated the last two words emphatically, savoring them.  
  
Sirius moved toward Snape, fists clenched. "I'm not the only one capable of violence, Snivellus," Sirius gritted out through clenched teeth. "James and I SAW you Stun Evans so Bellatrix could use the Cruciatus Curse on her!"  
  
"I - I did not know that Bellatrix was going to do that," Snape defended himself, but Lily could see that he was at a loss.  
  
"That's shite and you know it!" Sirius exclaimed. "You knew Bellatrix wanted to hurt her and you helped her to do it!"  
  
"Mr. Black! Mr. Snape!" That's quite enough!" Professor McGonagall's voice boomed before Snape could reply. She, Professor Dumbledore, and Peter had come up behind them.  
  
"All of you will follow me to my office, please," Dumbledore announced in his usual calm tone, but it was plain to see that he was upset. "We can discuss this matter more fully there."  
  
* * *  
  
James stood in the corner of Dumbledore's office, arms folded, listening to Sirius tell his story. Surprisingly enough, Sirius had admitted not only to writing the letter but also that it had been wrong of him. Even still, James didn't trust himself to look at his best friend, and Sirius hadn't tried to catch his eye again either.  
  
After Snape, Lily, and James had given their versions of the events, Dumbledore faced the assembled students.  
  
"Everyone, with the exceptions of Mr. Black and Mr. Snape, may return to their dormitories. Sirius, you will wait outside. Professor McGonagall and I will wish to speak with you regarding your punishment. Severus, I would like to speak with you privately before you return to your dormitory. If you would wait outside with Professor McGonagall, Sirius."  
  
Everyone, including Professor McGonagall, filed out of the office. As they went, Sirius caught up to James.  
  
"I'm really sorry, Prongs," Sirius began in a low, earnest voice. "I cocked it up good and proper, didn't I? But I never meant for any of this to happen. You have to believe me." Sirius' voice rose with that last sentence.  
  
"I know, Padfoot. I do," James said softly, still not meeting Sirius' eye. "It's just - I'll talk to you later, all right?"  
  
Sirius looked down, not saying anything more. James waited there with Sirius for Dumbledore to call him, not knowing what else to do. Peter and McGonagall stayed, as expected, but to James' surprise Lily waited about too, talking to Professor McGonagall.  
  
Finally Snape came down the stairs, his eyes bitter and resentful. He didn't say a word to the others as he passed them on the way to his dormitory. James could only hope that Dumbledore had somehow managed to convince him to keep Remus' secret.  
  
Sirius started up the steps, but McGonagall lingered for another moment. "Potter," she said suddenly. "A word?" James motioned to Peter to go on and moved toward McGonagall, slightly surprised.  
  
"You are, as I'm sure you are aware, one of the only people that Sirius Black listens to," McGonagall said in a low tone. James just stared at her, not sure where this was going.  
  
"As one of those people," McGonagall continued, "I would strongly suggest that you use that influence for positive purposes. Your friend could be in serious trouble after tonight's misadventure." James was still silent, processing this information.  
  
"Just something you might think about," McGonagall said after a short pause, then turned to make her way up the stairs.  
  
"Professor?" James called after her. McGonagall turned.  
  
"I will think about it. And you're right." McGonagall nodded curtly and continued up the stairs but James was fairly sure that he had seen a look of relief in her eyes.  
  
* * *  
  
James turned to go, suddenly exhausted beyond belief. As he rounded the corner and headed toward the stairs, he stopped short at the unexpected sight of Lily Evans leaning against the wall and apparently waiting for him.  
  
"I thought you'd've gone back to the dormitory," James blurted, going red in the face and feeling the obligatory flip-flop in his stomach.  
  
"I - er - I wanted to talk to you," Lily stammered, twirling a lock of hair round her finger. James' impulse to touch it was stronger than ever. He continued down the corridor so he wouldn't, Lily falling into step beside him.  
  
After a few extremely awkward seconds, Lily spoke up.  
  
"I wanted to apologize to you for what I said to you when Bellatrix - well - I mean - for what I said to you about being no better than they were," Lily's face was nearly as red as her hair. "I was upset when I said it and it isn't true. It was wrong of me to say it. What you did tonight proves that you aren't like them."  
  
James felt his heart hammering against his ribcage. He simply could not believe his ears. Evans apologizing to him?  
  
"I admire what you did for Snape," Lily continued hurriedly after taking a deep breath. "It must have been very difficult for you but you did it because it was the right thing. It was very brave of you."  
  
Lily stopped, glancing at him, but for once in his life James was incapable of saying anything, even the wrong thing.  
  
"And you needn't worry," Lily added softly. "Remus' secret is safe with me." With that Lily hurried ahead, her embarrassment apparently getting the best of her.  
  
James watched her go bemusedly, aware that he very probably had a completely moronic grin on his face. He couldn't ever remember feeling so elated. Lily Evans had apologized and complimented him all in one night. The world suddenly seemed to be full of exciting possibilities.  
  
James, wanting to allow Lily plenty of time to return to Gryffindor Tower and get to bed, stopped altogether in the corridor to repeat Lily's words to him over and over in his head.  
  
And during that entire walk back to Gryffindor Tower, James never once felt the floor beneath his feet.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Sorry this took me so long, I've been busier than usual lately. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, especially maggie, Blue Eyes 7, Willow23, James Potter09, Ronald's Girl, and MarryMeJames. Also, for everyone who is interested, Priori Incantatem is being translated into French. Thank you to Morty for doing the translation. Next chapter will be up faster than this one was, don't forget to review! 


	13. Works In Progress

Chapter 12 Works in Progress  
  
Sirius returned from Dumbledore's office several hours later without speaking to anyone. The next morning he revealed that he had detention for a month, had to write letters of apology to both Snape and his parents, and was restricted from the grounds for the rest of the year except for class. It was still being decided whether or not he would be allowed to finish the Quidditch season.  
  
Sirius didn't seem to be overly troubled by most of these punishments, though he wasn't looking forward to writing letters of apology to Snape and his parents. The part that upset him was having to explain what had happened to Remus.  
  
After reporting this to James and Peter, Sirius had gone straight to the hospital wing to talk to Remus. He came back about a half hour later looking extremely upset and had lain down on his bed and closed the curtains. James, knowing when not to push an issue with Sirius, had gone to the hospital wing to see how Remus was holding up.  
  
* * *  
  
James stood in the doorway to the hospital wing, observing Remus. He looked even paler than usual and extremely dejected. Sighing, James moved toward him in order to assess the damage.  
  
I take it Sirius talked to you," James began, sitting on the edge of the bed next to Remus, who only nodded in response.  
  
"He didn't mean it, you know," James offered next, not sure what else to say. "He was an eejit but he didn't intend to be. He just doesn't think sometimes. You have every right to be bloody well furious with him, but you should know that he didn't mean it."  
  
"Whether he meant it or not, he did it," Remus said hoarsely. "What if Snape tells everyone? None of the parents will want a werewolf in the same school as their children. What if Dumbledore decides that I'm too much of a liability after all? What if I can't finish my education? Worse yet, what if I had killed someone last night, Snape or Lily or even one of you?"  
  
"Sirius didn't think about any of that," James mumbled uncomfortably. "He kept saying that he never meant for any of this to happen."  
  
"Well it did, and I'm not sure whether or not I can trust him again," Remus said quietly.  
  
* * *  
  
The rest of the students returned to school the next day and classes began again on Monday. No one except for those present during the full moon knew why the Marauders didn't play their customary start-of-term prank or any pranks at all that first week, for that matter, and why the Marauders seemed unusually subdued.  
  
Somehow, Dumbledore managed to convince Snape to keep Remus' secret. The Marauders speculated as to how Dumbledore had managed this, but the truth was that none of them knew enough about Snape to determine what sort of leverage might be used against him. As a result of that full moon, Snape's animosity toward all four Marauders increased substantially, toward James and Sirius in particular.  
  
The disciplinary hearing against the eleven Slytheirns who had taken part in the attack on the Gryffindor sixth year girls took place on the first Saturday in the new term. Those eleven students were required to be present with their parents, along with Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Astral, and Flitwick, in order to hear the disciplinary decision. Much to the Gryffindors' disgust, none of the students were expelled, not even Bellatrix and Lestrange, who were each suspended for a week and lost some privileges, including all future Hogsmeade weekends, for the remainder of their time at Hogwarts. However, they had avoided real punishment and therefore weren't really repressed. If anything, they seemed rather smug about escaping serious consequences.  
  
Ordinarily, a situation such as this one would have resulted in the Marauders declaring a vicious prank war against the Slytherins. However, to the shock of the entire school, the Marauders didn't immediately launch a campaign of highly organized and complex practical jokes against the offending parties. The rest of the Gryffindors picked up the slack as best they could, and the Marauders contributed rather half-heartedly to these efforts individually and in pairs, but didn't do anything as the cohesive unit they'd always been.  
  
This newest cause for outrage against the Slytherins brought the Marauders a bit closer together; Remus was speaking to Sirius again because of it, even if the conversation between them was rather stilted. It was a start, at least.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily had been as disgusted as any of her fellow Gryffindors at the leniency Dumbledore had shown toward Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange; the topic kept her distracted for a week and a half at least.  
  
But as familiarity caused the outrage to die down and she and the other Gryffindors were no longer preoccupied with the Slytherins, Lily had more time to turn her attention to other subjects.  
  
But she had never counted on her attention wandering to James Potter.  
  
Lily suddenly caught herself glancing at him in class for no apparent reason. She also found herself noticing his good qualities, like the way he was so obviously doing everything he could to patch things up between Remus and Sirius and the way he helped Peter with his work without making him feel stupid. Had he always been this way and she had just never noticed, Lily wondered, or were these things recent?  
  
Of course James still had his bad points. The way he ran his bloody hand through his ridiculous hair whenever he saw her coming still irritated Lily to distraction, and that infernal know-it-all smirk still made her want to throw something heavy at his head or possibly his crotch. He still teased the first years and tormented the Slytherins, but somehow it didn't seem as bad as it used to; it seemed a lot less cruel, as a matter of fact.  
  
Suddenly it was possible for Lily to imagine James as a person and not just some arrogant, bullying, attention-seeking tosser. She still quite definitely did not like James Potter. However, until the Whomping Willow incident, it had never occurred to Lily that James might have any good points at all and without warning it had not only occurred to her but there was actual evidence to suggest it.  
  
Lily had meant what she had said to James on the walk back from Dumbledore's office that night. The side of himself he had revealed in the tunnel piqued Lily's interest; James Potter, a decent person? James Potter with a conscience? Who would have thought it?  
  
Certainly not Lily, and she continued to watch James' transformation from the corner of her eye, telling herself very firmly that she still hated him with a passion.  
  
It just somehow didn't feel as true as it had only a few short weeks ago.  
  
* * *  
  
By tacit agreement, the Marauders called a temporary truce toward the beginning of February for the planning and execution of their Valentine's Day prank.  
  
They had been planning the prank for some time now, and none of them, not even Remus, wanted to see their prank shelved. As it was a complex, multi-layered operation, collaboration was the only option; none of them could have pulled it off singly or probably even in pairs, though James and Sirius could have given it a good go.  
  
It was a start, anyway, in patching up the rift between Remus and Sirius, James decided as the four of them sat holed up in their dormitory with enough sweets to give a small army cavities, planning their latest scheme. This was, when all was said and done, how James had spent most of his time at Hogwarts; it felt natural to be doing it again, as he knew it did to the others.  
  
Of course, James knew that these planning sessions weren't going repair the damage that had been done, but they had all bonded over their troublemaking in the first place. Maybe it would help now.  
  
* * *  
  
Severus Snape had rarely been so discontent with a turn of events in his life.  
  
Snape prided himself on his ability to mold almost any situation to his benefit; he was nothing if not resourceful normally.  
  
But these recent events with Potter, Black, and Lupin before the start of term had considerably dampened his promising new situation.  
  
He had finally gotten Lestrange out of his way after helping in the attack on the Gryffindor girls; he had even gained some prestige from the whole ridiculous affair. His housemates, particularly the underclassmen, held him in something akin to fearful reverence now, and Snape had relished the power his new status gave him.  
  
Whatever prestige he had gained within his house had been balanced out by his loss of face outside of it due to that humiliating encounter with Lupin in werewolf form and his cronies in the tunnel.  
  
Snape cursed the impulse that had urged him to read the letter and then follow its directions. Why had he not heeded his better judgement?  
  
As a result of his little foray into curiosity he was now beholden to James Potter, a person he hated with a thorough passion and had Dumbledore, the shrewdest wizard Snape had ever encountered, watching him closely to ensure that he didn't break his word and reveal Lupin's secret.  
  
Snape was still amazed at Dumbledore's knowledge of his students. The man was absolutely flawless and there was nothing that Snape admired quite as much as perfection. Consequently he held a rather grudging but nonetheless deep-rooted respect for Dumbledore. Of course, the old man's ideals were unrealistic and laughable; it was absolutely futile to resist the future and the Dark Lord was the future. It would have been prudent for Dumbledore to make himself useful in his service, but Dumbledore stuck firmly to his principles, and Snape respected that.  
  
Admirable or not, Dumbledore had made Snape's life considerably more difficult. He couldn't even use Lupin's secret as potential leverage; Dumbledore had made sure of that.  
  
And Snape still could not fathom how Black had managed to evade expulsion over the incident. It was attempted murder, clearly and plainly; the fact that Black remained in Hogwarts and out of Azkaban was nothing more than a blatant example of Dumbledore's favoritism.  
  
There was little Snape could do about the situation now; he was being watched too carefully in too many corners for that.  
  
But Black and Potter had made themselves a devoted enemy through their arrogant stupidity.  
  
* * *  
  
Valentine's Day had arrived, a day that Lily was fairly certain was secretly dreaded by all of the teachers. Love was always in the air this time of year, which created a good deal of extra supervision on the teachers' parts.  
  
"That's the third couple I've seen McGonagall tell off since I sat down," Kathleen reported that morning at breakfast as the others turned their heads to watch the luckless snogging couple receive the riot act from a thoroughly out of sorts Professor McGonagall, the faces of all three quite flushed, albeit for different reasons.  
  
"Wonder what Dumbldore said to Filch that's made him so tetchy," Dorcas mused as the irate caretaker all but ran out of the hall.  
  
"Probably just cranky from lack of sleep; someone got all of the portraits along most of the main corridors completely filthy - don't ask me how - and Filch had to clean it all up late last night," Lily reported.  
  
Before the girls could speculate further, their attention was drawn to Alice, who had let out a great sob as a result of something she was reading in her morning post.  
  
"Oh, Frank!" she exclaimed tearfully and buried her face against her rather bemused boyfriend's chest.  
  
"Happy tears?" Morwenna asked, lips twitching. Alice nodded without turning her head. None of the Gryffindors were surprised when Alice and Frank stood up rather abruptly a few minutes later and left the hall hurriedly, hand-in-hand.  
  
Alice and Frank's relationship had been progressing quite well since returning from the Christmas holidays; very soon after the term started they had begun using "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" when referring to each other. This had quickly progressed to the public displays of affection stage, and now their friends were witnessing the advent of the going-off-to- have-a-serious-snog-while-pretending-no-one-notices-the-signs stage.  
  
James watched the pair go off rather wistfully and glanced down the table at Lily almost involuntarily. He was relieved to see that she didn't look shocked or disapproving but actually seemed rather amused. That was a good sign.... Mentally James shook himself. He and Lily were nowhere near the snogging in dark corners stage. She still hated him as far as he could tell. She'd never said another word to him about that night outside of Dumbledore's office.  
  
However, James refused to be depressed about his love life today, not when there were so many other people's on display to laugh at. Plus, he and his fellow Marauders had their prank to look forward to, and if the look on Filch's face was any indication, it would seem that the potion had kicked in. James grinned in anticipation of the walk to his first class in approximately a half an hour.  
  
* * *  
  
James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter all wore large grins throughout the entire day - their prank had been an unequivocal success.  
  
After adding a love potion to Filch's bottle of Portrait Polish, the Marauders had used their wands to blow large amounts of dirt over all of the portraits along the most traveled corridors late the previous evening.  
  
By the time the students filed into the corridors on their way to their first classes, the potion had taken full effect and most of the portraits were engaging in what Professor McGonagall would have termed "highly inappropriate public displays of affection."  
  
Apparently inspired by the portraits, the students were more amorous than usual, even for Valentine's Day; many weren't even attempting to snog discreetly anymore. The first years went about goggle-eyed the entire day, not knowing where to look first or if they should look at all.  
  
Filch was forced to patrol the halls with a stick, poking the portraits that were getting too randy. It was an uphill battle however, and after several warnings two adjacent portraits of a former Hogwarts headmaster and a renowned dragon trainer finally had to be removed from the wall outside of Professor Flitwick's classroom and taken to a more remote location.  
  
Professor McGonagall went about all day with a rather high color in her face and came down harder than ever on all violators of Hogwarts' no- snogging policies. Dumbledore took this upheaval with his usual calm sprinkled with barely discernable traces of amusement.  
  
The Marauders, well pleased with themselves, dealt with their mischief-induced high in different ways. Sirius joined in, sneaking off with several girls throughout the day and adding to his ever growing- mountain of valentines and candy. Remus, slightly abashed as always to be the source of the trouble but highly entertained anyway, behaved more or less as usual. Peter darted up and down the corridors spying on the snogging portraits and students, giggling interminably and a bit girlishly, or so Sirius told him after the third time he'd caught Peter peeking at him and his current snogging partner. James, amused as the other two, wore his trademark arrogant grin and secretly wished he too could sneak off in some semi-secluded corner and snog. Too bad only girl he was interested in snogging anymore had on more than one occasion publicly declared her preference for the giant squid over him.  
  
Then James thought about what Lily had said to him in the corridor and the looks she snuck at him when she thought he didn't notice.  
  
Maybe Lily Evans wasn't as much of a lost cause as he'd thought.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note:  
  
The next chapter will be up sometime early next week. Thanks to Captain Oblivious, Agloechen, juliet's rose, and Ronald's Girl for reviewing the last chapter. More reviews help me write faster...:-) 


	14. Steps Forward

Chapter 13 Steps Forward  
  
After the Valentine's Day incident, life at Hogwarts went on more or less as usual.  
  
Sirius and Remus' friendship continued to gradually improve, and so the Marauders spent more time together than they had since the Christmas holidays, playing a few pranks and teasing a few Slytherins, but as a group they still weren't as close as they had been. This was depressing to everyone, especially Sirius, who knew he was responsible for the rift. Peter and James especially constantly attempted to help the situation in the hopes that someday it would be what it had once been.  
  
Frank and Alice continued with the new stage in their relationship that the entire Gryffindor table had watched them begin on Valentine's Day and consequently were much scarcer around the Gryffindor common room than they had been. They were forever disappearing together to "walk round the lake" or "study in the library" and always came back from these sessions rather flustered and mussed up. Naturally the Marauders, Frank's four roommates, teased him endlessly about this, and Alice received her fair share of ribbing from her roommates, but neither of them seemed to care. They were by all appearances deliriously in love and though they were both a bit sheepish that their entire house knew whenever they were snogging, it wasn't enough incentive to stop.  
  
"Studying again, Frank?" Sirius asked innocently one Saturday afternoon as Frank gathered together his bag and books in preparation to leave the dormitory, where the Marauders minus Remus were lounging and eating their way through Sirius' substantial stock of Valentine candy.  
  
"Of course," Frank replied with equal innocence, but his ears were slightly pink, a sure indication that he was not telling the truth.  
  
"Honestly, Frank," James snorted. "Why even bother with the bag and books? Everyone knows where you're going and don't they just get in the way anyway?"  
  
Frank's ears reddened further but he shouldered his bag stubbornly and with a parting "See you lot later" was out the door.  
  
"Where do they go, d'you think?" Peter mused thoughtfully as he unwrapped a heart-shaped toffee. "There can't be many places to snog where they wouldn't get caught."  
  
"There're lots of places," Sirius shrugged as he popped a large chocolate-covered caramel into his mouth.  
  
"Like where?" Peter, ever the voyeur, asked with interest.  
  
"Mmmmumph," Sirius managed around his mouthful of candy.  
  
"I know about the astronomy tower and the greenhouses," Peter ticked the places off on his fingers, "And I once caught Bellatrix and Lestrange in the trophy room - they were really going at it - but other than that - "  
  
Sirius interrupted Peter's monologue by choking quite violently on his chocolate. James very obligingly whacked Sirius on his back until he regained the power of speech and his basic motor functions. His first order to business was to lean over and smack Peter in the head.  
  
"NEVER mention my cousin and 'going at it' in the same sentence again!" Sirius exclaimed, still faintly purple about the face. "I'll never be able to snog in the trophy room ever again thanks to you and your fat mouth!"  
  
"You mean other people - " Peter's query was effectively silenced by Sirius' withering look. "Well I was just asking," Peter said in an injured tone. "And it's not like you don't know that they snog, they must be the most exhibitionist couple in Hogwarts. I remember once during a Ravenclaw- Slytherin match - " Peter hastily broke off again at Sirius' dangerous expression.  
  
"Just because you were once thick enough to fancy that demented bitch I am unfortunate enough to share blood with doesn't mean everybody is sick enough to pay attention to, let alone remember, the little shows they put on," Sirius said in a rather nasty tone.  
  
"So, Quidditch next weekend, eh?" James said hastily as a red-faced Peter opened his mouth. But the other two weren't finished with the current topic.  
  
"I never fancied her!" Peter denied hotly. "I said she was pretty once but it's not like I've thought about her since!"  
  
"Oh please," Sirius dismissed Peter's denial. "You're still taken with her. Don't think we haven't noticed."  
  
"You do - I mean used to - stare at her quite a bit," James said a bit hesitantly - for him.  
  
"Well I like that!" Peter puffed up indignantly.  
  
"Oh cork it, mate," Sirius put an end to it. "'S not like you haven't taken the mickey out of us often enough over our love lives - or lack thereof in Prongsies' case," Sirius grinned.  
  
Peter, apparently deciding that a dignified silence spoke louder than words in this instance, opened a book and proceeded to very pointedly ignore James and Sirius.  
  
Tiring of this after a while, James and Sirius decided, for lack of more enticing options, to go to the library and see who and how many people they could distract before Madam Pince turned them out. This was at least something new to do as they hadn't been to the library in quite some time, over a year in fact.  
  
"Maybe we can study with Frank," James said slyly as he gathered up some books at random. He and Sirius sniggered at the very thought.  
  
* * *  
  
Snape had chosen to spend his Saturday pursuing his own private potion-making projects as opposed to doing homework. He had completed the Transfiguration essay that was due on Monday some time ago and knew that its impending due date would cause the library to be overcrowded. This essay might even drive Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew to the library Snape had no wish to spend additional time with them, so he was holed up in one of Slytherin House's study rooms, enjoying the solitude.  
  
As he added a bit more essence of mandrake to the potion he was brewing, Snape reflected on the foursome that he considered his enemies. There was something so satisfying in knowing when you'd struck a nerve with someone you dislike, and it was quite clear that the werewolf incident had done just that. It was perfectly apparent to the entire school that that particular clique was no longer spending its requisite amount of time together, a state of affairs that brought Snape the utmost satisfaction. Though the matter had brought him no little bit of inconvenience and had angered and frustrated him to extremes, Snape's lips curled up at the corners at the very thought of what it had cost Potter and Black.  
  
Without warning, the door to the study room swung open and Lestrange strolled in, his expression purposeful. Snape bit back his annoyance. He had put a locking charm on the door but clearly he would have to search for a more effective one.  
  
"Ah, Severus," Lestrange's smile was brief but effective. "I thought I might find you here. I've been wanting a word with you for some time now but you are so very difficult to find at times and Dumbledore's new lack of trust over that minor incident before the holidays has made it rather difficult," Lestrange paused, taking in his surroundings.  
  
Snape waited, saying nothing. This wasn't another trust issue; Lestrange was treating him quite cordially, or cordially for Lestrange at any rate. This must be a message of sorts, which made Snape wary, but he had no choice but to wait it out. Lestrange operated on no one's time table but his own.  
  
"Do you recall, Severus, when we had our little chat about loyalty back in September?" Lestrange inquired. Snape merely nodded, his arms folded across his chest somewhat defensively.  
  
"Well," Lestrange's voice dropped. "You have proven since then that you are worthy of trust. Soon, over the Easter holidays, in fact, it will be time to prove whether or not you are loyal. I have spoken to our leader," Lestrange's gaze caught and held Snape's so that he would realize just how significant this was, "and he thinks it time that you truly became one of us. You gave an excellent account of yourself in the attack against that Mudblood, Severus," Lestrange's tone became slightly congratulatory. "You even managed to evade detection. You are worthy of the honor, Severus, if you choose to accept it. You will receive further details once the holidays are in session and we are no longer surrounded by these tiresome walls." With that, Lestrange exited the room as suddenly as he had entered it.  
  
Snape sank into a chair and covered his face with his hands. Oh, Merlin.  
  
Lestrange's words rang in his ears. Worthy of the honor if he chose to accept it indeed. They both knew he wouldn't be allowed to live if he didn't go through with this.  
  
Impulsively Snape shoved up his sleeve and examined the as yet unmarked skin of his forearm. It would hurt, Snape knew that much for sure. A wizard who enjoyed suffering as much as the Dark Lord did would have it no other way  
  
Snape had known for some time that this test of loyalty would be required of him. He had been taught that it was the highest honor because it showed that you had the Dark Lord's trust. Snape had always known it would be required of him someday, he just hadn't thought it would be so soon. He wasn't ready.  
  
But the fact was that the time was here and he had better get on board because there was no turning back nor was there resignation from the Dark Lord's service that didn't involve a funeral.  
  
* * *  
  
Dorcas shifted restlessly in her seat and consulted her wristwatch. "Alice has been gone for over two hours now," she reported, her lips turning up at the corners.  
  
"Whatever can they be doing for this long?" Morwenna said, slightly irritable.  
  
Dorcas cocked a brow. "Surely you don't need me to spell it out for you?" the three girls giggled but hushed up rather quickly as Madam Pince shot them a look from the reference desk. They were studying in the library for the very important Transfiguration essay that was due on Monday but none of them could seem to concentrate for any length of time.  
  
"Kathleen is studying with Remus and Alice is Merlin knows where with Frank," Lily summed up. "And we're sitting here studying and keeping track of other people's love lives like the three old maids we're well on our way to becoming."  
  
"Speak for yourself," Morwenna teased. "James Potter would be happy to ensure that you don't die a virgin."  
  
Lily gasped and Dorcas burst out laughing, only to earn herself a "Shh!" from Madam Pince.  
  
"I'm sure he would, but as it happens I'm not that desperate to lose it," Lily hissed, aware of Madam Pince's gaze. "Plus there's that pesky little problem of my despising him."  
  
"Do you now? I notice that you didn't throw his roses out the window this year," Morwenna returned. Every year since third year James had sent Lily an enormous bouquet of red roses on Valentine's Day and every year Lily had made a grand production of tossing them out the window. This year, however, the roses sat on the windowsill, much to the shock of four of the room's inhabitants.  
  
Lily reddened further at Morwenna's latest comment. "All right, I admit it, it's distantly possible that I don't hate Potter quite as much as I used to," she said loftily, picking up her quill again. "Recent events have shown me that perhaps he is capable of rational behavior."  
  
"And what events are those?" Dorcas was curious.  
  
"I can't tell you," Lily said seriously. "I promised I wouldn't."  
  
"It must've been quite something to make you not loathe Potter anymore, " Morwenna observed.  
  
"You're carrying this entirely too far," Lily protested. "It's not that I don't loathe him. I just probably wouldn't dance on his grave if I had the chance."  
  
* * *  
  
"It's just as big as I remember," Sirius said in a loud whisper. He and James were standing in the library for the first time in over a year.  
  
"Of course it is, you git," James whispered back. Madam Pince was watching them like a hawk.  
  
"See we're not the only ones absorbing knowledge on this fine afternoon," Sirius inclined his head inconspicuously toward Lily, Morwenna, and Dorcas' table.  
  
James' hand shot automatically through his hair. "Let's go say hi. I need to talk to Dorcas about Quidditch practice tomorrow night anyway," he said in what he believed to be a casual tone.  
  
Sirius cocked a brow and folded his arms, then winced. "I think you dislodged something with your pounding earlier," he complained. "And I'm sure the reason you want to go and talk to - er - Dorcas is strictly Quidditch-driven."  
  
"Oh, shut it or I'll dislodge something else," James snapped, cornered. With that, he ran his hand through his hair one last time and headed toward the girls' table. Silenced for the moment, Sirius sauntered along in James' wake.  
  
"All right, Morwenna? Meadows? Evans?" James gave the girls his trademark grin. Lily had to restrain herself from clobbering him with her book. Why did he insist on doing that ridiculous thing with his hair?  
  
"Fancy seeing you here," Dorcas drawled.  
  
"Yeah, don't think I've seen you two in here since the term started up again," Morwenna chimed in.  
  
"You haven't," James answered promptly. "Sirius and I were banned from the library for a year and the time was only up in January."  
  
"What on earth did you do to get yourselves banned for an entire year, or do I want to know?" Morwenna was curious.  
  
Sirius grinned suggestively at her before answering: "We - er - accidentally set fire to part of the restricted section."  
  
"How'd you manage that?" Dorcas cocked a brow.  
  
James shrugged. "It WAS an accident. We were looking for something and - well - who knew some of those books were so flammable? You'd think they'd have spells or something."  
  
"We put out most of the fire before Filch got here though," Sirius put in. "It could've been a lot worse, really, if we hadn't had so much experience with fires."  
  
"So Evans, did you get my flowers?" James' grin was, though it pained Lily to admit it, rather charming. Seductive and arrogant and little-boy eager all at the same time. Lily's resulting disturbance over having noticed that his grin was charming at all made it easier for her to be brisk with him.  
  
"Yes I did, just like I did all of the other ones," she said stiffly, tossing her hair over her shoulder. Morwenna and Dorcas were suppressing their laughter and seemed about ready to pop. Lily sincerely hoped they wet themselves.  
  
"So," James leaned on the table, bringing his face mere inches from hers. "D'you want to go out with me next weekend after the match?"  
  
"Nope, sorry Potter. Hell hasn't frozen over yet," Lily quipped. It was something she had said to him many times when he asked her out, but James couldn't help but notice that the way she said it this time was slightly different. Her tone lacked its usual suppressed rage and there was the barest trace of amusement in her eyes, almost as though she were enjoying the game. James' heart soared.  
  
"Crushed again," he sighed in mock resignation. "However, I shall persevere. Until next time then," James turned to go. "Oh, and by the way, Meadows, practice is at six tomorrow instead of six-thirty. That is if I haven't succumbed and expired from my broken heart by then," James chanced a glance at Lily.  
  
She rolled her eyes and shook her head, but there was definitely a trace of - was it anticipation? - in her brilliant green eyes.  
  
Whether she was willing to admit it or not, Lily didn't exactly hate him anymore, nor did she want him to give up on her.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: *pops champagne cork* Wow, I've hit the 100 review mark! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed my story, I appreciate it more than I can say. Thanks to juliet's rose, LeiaQuartermain, James Potter09, LavenderBrwon, and Ronald's Girl for their reviews of the last chapter. Keep the reviews coming and I'll keep the chapters coming. Again, thanks everyone! 


	15. Time Flies

Chapter 14 Time Flies  
  
In the weeks that followed, the sixth years were kept extremely busy in preparation for their NEWTs the following year and before anyone knew it, Easter holidays had arrived. Time flew when you were bogged down under a mountain of homework every week.  
  
James and Sirius went to the Potters' estate in the countryside for the week. Ordinarily James spent this holiday at his family's home in London but his parents had decided that London was currently too dangerous for the boys. Death Eater activity still abounded and the Ministry still had no way to predict these attacks, leaving everyone vulnerable. The countryside wasn't actually any safer than London but there was less chance of the boys happening to be in the wrong place at the wrong time during a Death Eater attack.  
  
Nevertheless, it was a good holiday. It was great fun for James to have Sirius with him constantly, but, though he didn't admit it to Sirius, James missed seeing Lily every day. To keep from thinking about it too often, James and Sirius played Quidditch almost nonstop, and in between Quidditch sessions Sirius kept James fairly well distracted.  
  
Sirius had arranged for a few assignations with some members of his ever-devoted fan club over the holiday, which gave Sirius plenty of anecdotes to entertain James with and James plenty of ammunition for his merciless teasing.  
  
Peter and Remus had visited at the Potters' nearly every day. Things had been more or less patched up between Remus and Sirius; James knew that Remus had been trying to forgive Sirius for some time but had been unable to get past it, truthfully. Remus was well aware of just how close he had come to having his worst fear realized: killing someone in his werewolf state, and all thanks to one of his best friends. He had gone off on his own a good bit over the winter. This time alone had done wonders for Remus' spirits and James privately wondered if there wasn't some girl Sirius could thank for Remus' new attitude.  
  
Of course, things were a bit different; they had all changed from the incident, had all grown up a little, even Peter, who had had the least to do with it of any of them. They were themselves different, so naturally their friendship reflected that. But the dynamic was the same; the four of them were too close not to patch things up, really.  
  
Consequently the Marauders felt more carefree than they had in quite some time during that holiday, playing Quidditch on the pitch in the Potters' garden, laughing over remembered pranks as they planned new ones and continued to eat their way through Sirius' still-large stock of Valentine candy while they caught up on each others' lives. It was amazing to James that he hadn't known that Annabel Abbott of Hufflepuff had asked Remus to go to the last Hogsmeade weekend with her and that Remus hadn't known about James' new broomstick or about his encounter with Lily in the library. And of course Remus and Sirius had all sorts of things to share with each other. It just went to show all of them how far their friendship had deteriorated.  
  
Though it was sad to see the holiday end, James couldn't help but be anxious to see Lily again as he and Sirius entered Platform 9 ¾ to return to Hogwarts for the final part of their sixth year.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily's holiday had consisted in large part of helping to plan for The Wedding of the Century, as Lily had christened it. She had seen enough pink taffeta to last her a lifetime.  
  
It seemed that not only must the eleven bridesmaids be swathed in pink taffeta gowns but the tables must be draped in it, the church must be decorated in it, and the flowers, china, cake, and linens must match it precisely. Even the invitations sported little pink tulle bows. All in preparation for Petunia to swear to love, honor, and cherish that dolt Vernon.  
  
At her parents' insistence, Petunia had been civil to Lily, never overtly mentioning her newest resentment over the postponement of her wedding or any of the longstanding grudges she harbored. Even her usual hints, grumblings, and resentment seemed a bit less than normal. In fact, Petunia had been too complacent and self-satisfied over her own accomplishments to give much thought to anyone else besides Vernon or their all-consuming wedding. It was almost as though Petunia felt she had run some sort of obstacle course and had emerged triumphant, brandishing a large silver cup with a bow on. A cotton candy pink bow if her wedding colours were any indication. Personally Lily didn't see what there was to be smug about in having acquired a pompous, ignorant, narrow-minded, portly fiancé. She certainly wouldn't have given anyone a trophy for winning Vernon. But matrimony was the goal of her sister's existence; Petunia wanted nothing more than a life of comfortable normalcy and she deplored anyone who did not share these aspirations. Lily didn't like her sister but she at least understood her, which was more than could be said for Petunia.  
  
To her own horror, Lily had discovered that she herself was to be a bridesmaid at this joyous occasion. The very thought of walking down an aisle in plain view of all of her camera-equipped relatives in a poofy pink taffeta dress with bows on gave Lily hives, but her parents had worked long and hard to persuade Petunia and were delighted that she had given way. Lily didn't really see how she could refuse; it would be terribly selfish of her and at the very least none of her friends would be invited to the wedding to see her.  
  
Even with all of this, the holiday hadn't been a complete wash. Lily had gone to visit Dorcas for one of the days and then Dorcas and Alice had come to Lily's house for tea on Saturday, then stayed overnight and the three went to King's Cross Station together to get the train the next morning to return to Hogwarts.  
  
The three girls had stayed up nearly half the night laughing over Petunia's elaborate wedding preparations and atrocious taste in both men and décor. Petunia had very deliberately chosen to spend the night with Vernon's sister Marge at Vernon's parents' home in Surrey in order to avoid being "descended upon by freaks," as she put it, so Dorcas and Alice had not been able to meet the subject of all of the wedding fuss and many of Lily's stories. Alice had seemed mostly relieved to not have to make polite conversation with such an unpleasant person but Dorcas was faintly disappointed.  
  
After Lily had shown her friends all of the pink taffeta in the house and they had laughed themselves sick over Petunia's fiasco of a wedding, Alice introduced a new subject that made Lily and Dorcas almost forget about pink taffeta.  
  
"So Frank came to my house this week to meet my family," Alice fidgeted with her pillow, not meeting the other two girls' eyes.  
  
"What?" Lily exclaimed, sitting up.  
  
"How did it go?" Dorcas queried, giving Alice her undivided attention.  
  
"It went well, I suppose," Alice shrugged. "Frank came over for tea on Wednesday and stayed on to dinner, so I think they liked a him at least a little. My parents seemed all right about us anyway and my brothers didn't kill him or anything, although they did pull him aside after dinner so I think they may have threatened to castrate him if he broke my heart or something along those lines."  
  
"Brothers will do that," Dorcas said knowingly. "But poor Frank, having to hear it from YOUR brothers." Alice's two elder brothers, Gideon and Fabian Prewett, were highly talented wizards and had been known as such at Hogwarts. Now that they had left school they both had prestigious jobs at the Ministry, Gideon in the Department of Mysteries and Fabian in the Department of Magical Catastrophes. Both had also been known at Hogawarts as being highly protective of their younger and only sister, Alice. It must indeed have been intimidating for Frank to be threatened, subtly or otherwise, by these two brothers and it made Lily admire him all the more for announcing his intentions to Alice's powerful and rather intimidating family.  
  
"Did you ask him to come or did your parents want to meet him?" Lily asked next.  
  
"Neither," Alice blushed a bit. "Frank wanted to meet them. He said he was serious about me and wanted my parents to know it."  
  
"That's so sweet," Dorcas sighed.  
  
"I'm so happy for you," Lily smiled. "Have you met his parents yet?"  
  
"Not yet," Alice said, then added rather hesitantly: "I hear his mum's right scary."  
  
"Have you seen her before?" Dorcas asked, shifting on the bed to give herself more room.  
  
"Yeah I did once, talking to Morwenna's granny," Alice remembered. "She was wearing a pointed hat with a stuffed vulture on," she added with a grimace.  
  
"At least she won't be able to criticize your clothes with any authority," Lily snorted.  
  
"Though you may have to worry about her stuffing you for her next hat," Dorcas grinned.  
  
"I can't wait until it's you lot's turn to meet your boyfriends' parents and then we'll see how funny it is," Alice said indignantly, but she was smiling.  
  
"Yeah, Lily'll have to meet the Potters, and they must be pretty near daft to have a son like James," Dorcas' moment of triumph was cut short as Lily whacked her with her pillow, inspiring a full-scale pillow war of epic proportions that put an end to any further conversation.  
  
* * *  
  
Students arrived at Platform 9 ¾ the next morning in various states of sleepiness. The Marauders, raring to be on their way and back to school, were at one end of the spectrum while Lily, Alice, and Dorcas, bleary-eyed after staying up nearly the entire night, were at the other, barely able to keep on their feet.  
  
Bleary-eyed or not, James' heart did its usual gymnastics at the sight of Lily, leaning against the wall and yawning widely, her ponytail somewhat rumpled. James knew that he must have it bad if Lily was still the most beautiful girl in the world to him whilst she was slack-jawed from lack of sleep and fighting to keep her eyes open.  
  
James turned away for a minute to greet Remus, who had just arrived, and when he turned round again Lily and the others had boarded the train. Damn.  
  
Alice, Lily, and Dorcas slept for most of the ride and emerged from the train feeling much better. Lily left her friends in the castle's entry hall to go and do her Prefect duties.  
  
Pushing through the crowds, Lily saw all of her fellow students that she hadn't seen on the train. There were the Marauders, loud as usual. Potter blew her a kiss as she passed and Lily returned by scowling at him. Sodding prat.  
  
Continuing on, Lily saw a crowd of Slytherins. Lestrange was whispering in Bellatrix's ear, causing her to give her bone-chilling cackle. Avery, Wilkes, and Rosier lounged about, talking to each other in hushed voices, their grins malicious. And slightly apart from the others stood Snape, looking even grimmer than he usually did. Wondering briefly what was eating him, Lily found her fellow prefects and followed them to the antechamber adjoining the Great Hall, all thoughts of Snape leaving her mind.  
  
* * *  
  
It was done.  
  
None of the concerns, the doubts, the fears that he wasn't ready or didn't want to no longer mattered because it was done.  
  
In the privacy of his favourite study room near his dormitory, Snape charmed the door and wasted no time in pushing up his sleeve rather gingerly to study his left forearm. Despite the pain, it still seemed surreal that it was actually there.  
  
The Dark Mark.  
  
As Lestrange had forewarned him, Snape had been contacted on the first day of the holidays and told where he would find a certain Portkey in two nights' time. Snape had done the only thing he could do and followed the directions, leaving his house two nights later carrying a black hooded cloak.  
  
That night he had donned a mask and his cloak and had joined his classmates and social peers, many of whom he had known for his entire life, in their Muggle torture. Then, later, they had gone to a house, Snape never did discover whom it had belonged to, where the Dark Lord was waiting. The others had formed a circle round him and Snape had come forward to meet his fate.  
  
It was an experience that Snape would remember all his life with a chill down his spine and a prickle in his scalp. The forms around him and even the snakelike red eyes in front of him had faded to a blur in the face of the pain, a pain that was all-consuming and beyond anything Snape had ever known. It had almost broken him, to tell the truth, but Snape didn't have the luxury of breaking.  
  
Severus had known since he was eleven years old that he was intended to serve the Dark Lord; he had known for five years what he would one day be. He just hadn't ever thought that he would become a Death Eater so soon.  
  
But it was done. There was the red, swollen, soon-to-be-black mark staring at him from his forearm to prove it. He was one of them now, as he'd always known he would be.  
  
Snape just couldn't figure out why he didn't feel as proud and triumphant as he'd expected to. He could feel nothing but shock and a faint repulsion over the Dark Mark on his arm.  
  
And that concerned him more than he cared to admit.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Sorry this chapter's a bit short; none of the other events I have planned seemed to fit in so I left it where it was. The next one will be up soon though (like sometime this weekend). As you may have noticed, I changed the rating of my story from R to PG-13. I don't think I really need the R at this point and I can change it later if I end up needing it. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially Ronald's Girls, anna, LavenderBrown, James Potter09, Willow23, LeiaQuartermain, and Four Stars (very clever, by the way ;-) ). Keep the reviews coming, I really do appreciate them! 


	16. Spring Fever

Chapter 15 Spring Fever  
  
With the Easter holidays past, the Hogwarts student body began, as it did every year, to focus on the final Quidditch match of the season. This match decided the winner of the Quidditch Cup, so naturally the opposing houses were always on rather hostile terms, but this year, however, the contenders were to be Gryffindor and Slytherin, who, in addition to the high state of tension that existed between them normally and this year especially, were also neck and neck for the Cup. Unpleasant confrontations between Gryffindors and Slytherins of all ages began erupting in the corridors, and after a particularly nasty showdown between a couple of first years who blew each other up, Professor McGonagall decided to take drastic action. As soon as she caught and deflated the first years, who floated round the castle for more than an hour before she and Filch managed to corner them, Professor McGonagall called a Prefect meeting.  
  
Highly irritable and practically breathing fire after pursuing two student- shaped blimps through the corridors for more than an hour, Professor McGonagall assigned each of the Prefects additional duties, and she was so cross no one dared argue, or even grumble.  
  
Consequently, Lily and Remus, along with the rest of the Prefects and the two Head students, became virtual strangers to their friends and common rooms as nearly every waking moment was spent either patrolling the corridors, library, and grounds or completing the mountains of homework that continued to accumulate every week.  
  
The Gryffindor and Slytherin Quidditch teams were equally as scarce as they spent as much time, if not more, practicing as the Prefects did patrolling. In an attempt to make life easier for one of his best mates and to earn the gratitude of the girl he fancied, James, the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, ordered his team not to trade words, blows, or insults with the Slytherins upon penalty of suspension. The team obeyed, some, namely Sirius, more reluctantly than others, which left them at a disadvantage as the Slytherin captain had given his team no such orders. So the Gryffindor team members had to be very careful never to walk anywhere alone, and the entire house pitched in to ensure that that didn't happen. So each year surrounded its team members and the first years spread themselves round, mostly to sixth year, which had three team members, James, Sirius, and Dorcas, and each year arrived for their lessons in a pack.  
  
James and Sirius were collapsed on their beds, too exhausted to move after practice, one evening when Sirius unexpectedly raised his head and, with a great deal of effort, rolled onto his side to face James.  
  
"Prongs?" Sirius asked eventually.  
  
"Uh?" was all James could get out in reply.  
  
"Are you hungry?" Sirius asked rhetorically. James managed to nod his head.  
  
"Then let's go to the kitchens," Sirius finished in his best what's- the-worst-that-could-happen tone.  
  
James managed to muster up the energy for speech. "Two things wrong with that. First, we shouldn't go anywhere by ourselves and second, I'm too tired to turn my head, let alone go anywhere."  
  
"'Shouldn't go anywhere by ourselves? Too tired to move?' If I didn't know better, mate, I'd swear you'd misplaced your balls," Sirius said coolly. "What happened to James Potter, my best mate and fellow Marauder who broke one hundred and forty-seven school rules in a single day just to see how many he could break?"  
  
"He's been running Quidditch drills for the past six hours," James sat up and nearly moaned with the effort. "And what do you need to go to the kitchens for? You still have all of those homemade sweets from your harem." James indicated the pile of plates, tins, and boxes in the corner from all of the girls who had baked Sirius things over the holiday to show how much they had missed him.  
  
"I don't fancy sweets right now," Sirius shrugged. "Besides, some of those girls need diagrams to put on their hats, would YOU eat something one of them had made?"  
  
"Point taken," James said after he had thought about some of those girls and the various ways they had proven their limited brain capacity for a moment. They were only going to the kitchens, after all, it wasn't like they were going to duel with the Slytherin team after he had told the Gryffindor team not to.  
  
Crouching under James' invisibility cloak, James and Sirius snuck past the various Prefects on patrol, most of whom were too exhausted to do their jobs properly anyway, and made it to the kitchens without any incident. The house elves greeted them like long-lost brothers and after both James and Sirius were stuffed and had been outfitted with impressive bundles of food to take back with them, they decided it was time to return to their dormitory.  
  
Shrouding themselves once more under the invisibility cloak, James and Sirius made for the secret passage that led from the main floor to the kitchens and on down to the dungeons. It made for less distance to sneak, and the chance of getting caught was practically nonexistent as the Marauders were the only ones who knew about this particular passage.  
  
Or so they thought. Just as James and Sirius had entered the passage and removed the invisibility cloak, they came face to face with Bellatrix Black.  
  
"What are YOU doing here?" Sirius snarled, immediately on the defensive against his least favorite cousin. "Don't you have some animal sacrifices to make or something?"  
  
Bellatrix's psychotic grin took on a malicious tint. "Why if it isn't the blood traitor," she sneered. "Whassa matter, ickle Sirius, afraid to run into your bad, scary cousin in the dark?"  
  
"No, I just fear for my virtuous reputation," Sirius sneered back. "After all, you ARE carrying on the Black family tradition of being a whore and a cocktease all at the same time and incest just isn't my cup of tea."  
  
"Don't you dare speak to me about the Black family traditions, you filth," Bellatrix hissed, not quite so amused now. "You were never anything but a disappointment to my esteemed aunt and uncle and now you're nothing but a blot on the family tree. You haven't any right to the NAME of Black, so don't talk to me about traditions."  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you, coz," Sirius sounded anything but disappointed, "but, unfortunate though it is, Black is my name and as long as that bothers you I'll keep it till I'm dead."  
  
"You filthy blood traitor!" Bellatrix screeched, well and truly furious by now.  
  
"Better that than a psychotic bitch," Sirius shot back. Clearly enraged to even further heights, Bellatirx groped for her wand, but James and Sirius both had their trained on her before she could so much as draw.  
  
"Wouldn't try it, Bellatrix," James kept his voice even. "You'd best be on your way."  
  
Emitting a shriek of pure rage, Bellatrix spat at Sirius' feet before turning on her heel and striding down the passage.  
  
"For someone who's a certifiable psychotic bitch, she certainly takes exception to being called one," James observed as he put away his wand.  
  
"Yeah," Sirius said slowly, brow furrowed. "But how exactly does she know about this passage anyway?"  
  
* * *  
  
Lily stifled a yawn as she turned yet another corner in Hogwarts' maze of corridors. She had an hour left of her patrol before she could return to Gryffindor Tower for some much-needed sleep. Thank Merlin the Quidditch match was tomorrow or she'd have to start looking into anti-sleep spells.  
  
For all of McGonagall's concern, there hadn't been much trouble really, Lily reflected. Sure, there had been the occasional little incident, a few threats between the two teams and some heated exchanges mostly, but Lily couldn't tell whether the lack of trouble was from McGonagall's precautions or if it was just as far as the two sides were going to go. After Potter had forbidden the Gryffindor team to fight the Slytherins, there wasn't much anyone could do, really.  
  
Potter. He had changed so much in such a short time. Last year he would have been teaching his team how to perfect their Jelly-Legs Jinxes, not threatening them with dire consequences if they got into it with the Slytherins. Lily dismissed the thought that he had changed for her from her mind. That was just too presumptuous, not to mention egotistical. Egotistical on Potter's level of egoism, and that was one thing that hadn't changed. James Potter still had the healthiest ego Lily had ever seen.  
  
Looking round for something to distract her from this train of thought, it occurred to Lily to wonder where Remus was. Usually she passed him several times on her rounds but tonight she hadn't seen him but once. Maybe he was breaking up someone's snog fest, Lily thought, amused. And if he was, chances were it was Sirius Black's. It would almost have to be, just because of the sheer amount of time Sirius spent snogging; the more time you spent doing it, the higher the chance of getting caught.  
  
Lily's new train of thought was interrupted by some unusual noises coming from the classroom round the corner. It was either Peeves the poltergeist hard at work on some new scheme or Lily had a snogging session of her own to break up. As she rounded the corner, the second option seemed more and more likely. Lily could hear the whispering and rustling clothes.  
  
Lily opened the door a crack and peeked in. Yup, there was the hormonal couple right there, apparently trying to swallow each other's heads as they leaned against the wall. Lily closed the door again and took a moment to put on her sternest expression, one Morwenna called her "Prefect Look of Death." Taking a deep breath, Lily pushed the door open, noisily this time, and went into her standard snogging session speech.  
  
"All right, you two, break it up. You know perfectly well that's not allowed and I'm afraid - REMUS?!"  
  
One of the snoggers had finally turned to face her and Lily came face- to-face with her fellow Prefect.  
  
"What in the bloody hell are you about?" Lily demanded. "You can't just sneak off in the middle of your patrol to snog in an empty classroom! If McGonagall had caught you instead of me you'd - Kathleen?!"  
  
Remus' partner in crime had finally turned, bringing Lily face to face with a blushing Kathleen Kirkpatrick. Lily felt her own blush creep up from the back of her neck to cover her entire face.  
  
"Lily, please don't tell anyone," Kathleen pleaded, her voice earnest. "If McGonagall knew Remus had been snogging during his patrol she'd probably take away his Prefect badge, and that would be awful. So please, don't tell her."  
  
Lily sighed, feeling a migraine coming on. "Look, I'm very happy that you two are together but - "  
  
"We're not - er - together, Remus interrupted, glancing at Kathleen. "We're just - that is - "  
  
"We don't want anyone to know about us," Kathleen put in. "We don't know whether or not this will go anywhere and until we do we'd just as soon not have anyone else know."  
  
"You won't tell McGonagall, will you?" Remus asked anxiously. "I promise it'll never happen again and Kathleen will go back to Gryffindor Tower right now and I'll go and finish my patrol and I swear to you that I'll never break the rules while I'm on patrol again."  
  
"Of course I won't tell McGonagall," Lily sighed, reluctant to be any part of this. "But you had better mean what you said just now. No more snogging on the job, all right?"  
  
"Lily, you're the best," Kathleen exclaimed, hugging her. "And we really do mean it, I'm going back to the dormitory right now. Only please, please don't say a word to anyone. You promise?"  
  
"I promise," Lily felt distinctly uncomfortable.  
  
"You're the best," Kathleen repeated warmly. "You and I will talk in the morning. And Remus - er - I'll just see you later, shall I?"  
  
"Right," Remus mumbled, equally as awkward. Kathleen left the classroom, Lily and Remus following her and staring at their shoes uncomfortably.  
  
Once they had seen Kathleen to the portrait hole, Remus spoke up again. "Thanks, Lily."  
  
"Er..." said Lily, not knowing what else to say.  
  
"It really won't happen again," Remus said earnestly.  
  
"Good," Lily said, looking him in the eye. "I believe you." Remuse smiled at her and Lily smiled back.  
  
The two began to walk together in companionable silence.  
  
"So how did this thing with you and Kathleen come about?" Lily asked finally.  
  
Remus sighed and raked a hand through his sandy hair. "It's been going on since January, just after - that night - with Snape and everything." Remus paused for a moment before continuing. "I was really upset over it," he admitted, "and Sirius and I weren't really speaking, so when Kathleen asked me to tutor her, I jumped at the chance to spend some time with someone else. We were just studying for a while, then one night it just sort of - happened."  
  
"Why don't you want anyone to know?" Lily was confused.  
  
"We're just snogging, it's not a relationship or anything," Remus explained. "And I suppose neither of us wants to deal with the labels and gossip that come with going public with this sort of thing," he shrugged rather dejectedly.  
  
"So you don't fancy her as anything more than an occasional snogging partner at all?" Lily asked.  
  
"I never said I didn't fancy her," Remus replied quickly. "I think it's her who doesn't fancy me that way. Not that it would matter if she did," Remus' tone became a trifle bitter. "Now that you know my deep dark secret surely you can understand why I might be a bit wary about getting up close and personal with anyone. I think it's better this way."  
  
I see," Lily said slowly, and she did. It was perfectly clear that Remus fancied Kathleen as a lot more than a snogging partner but was afraid of the rejection he perceived as inevitable when people found out about his lycanthropy. Despite the fact that he had been snogging Kathleen when he was supposed to be patrolling the halls and she had not only caught him at it but had agreed to cover up for him, Lily suddenly found herself feeling quite sympathetic toward Remus.  
  
"Remus, do I treat you any differently than I did before I knew your secret?" Lily asked carefully.  
  
"No," Remus answered, seeming a bit confused by the change of subject.  
  
"Then what makes you think Kathleen will?" Lily asked logically, cocking a brow at him.  
  
"I ...." Remus stopped, unsure of how to answer this question. It had never occurred to him that Kathleen WOULDN'T treat him differently.  
  
"If you want my opinion, you should give Kathleen a bit more credit," Lily continued. " I know her pretty well, and I really don't think she's enough of a git to treat you like some sort of non-person just because this thing you can't control happens to you once a month. You haven't anything to do with it, you don't CHOOSE to have that happen to you. And anyone who can't see that or who would treat you differently is a git. I mean, it's just ignorance, isn't it, and Kathleen isn't ignorant. Oh, look," Lily showed Remus her wristwatch. "Finally, this endless patrol is over! Let's get out of here, I'm exhausted."  
  
Lily started toward Gryffindor Tower, leaving a bemused Remus to follow in her wake. He had never encountered anyone besides James, Sirius, and Peter who had this attitude about his condition. Lily's attitude toward the whole thing was a revelation to him. Then suddenly it occurred to Remus that Lily must face her fair share of prejudice and ignorance as a Muggle born and that just maybe she knew what she was on about.  
  
Remus followed Lily, feeling more gratitude and respect toward her than he could say. Her attitude toward people was a revelation to him, and Remus realized how brave she was to go through her life with this attitude when there were so many witches and wizards against her.  
  
* * *  
  
The next morning dawned fair and bright, good Quidditch weather, James registered as he pushed the window open. Not so bright that they wouldn't be able to see and not much wind at all. Yes, definitely good game weather.  
  
James roused Sirius, who, after much goading and nagging on James' part, finally rolled out of bed and got ready for the game, his expression grumpy.  
  
At breakfast, James made sure that the entire team was present and accounted for and had eaten at least something. Once everyone had finished, he led them down to the pitch amidst the cheers of the entire Gryffindor table and a good number from the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables. The Slytherins, naturally, booed them at the tops of their lungs.  
  
Lily caught Dorcas' eye as she followed her teammates out and mouthed "Good luck." Lily enjoyed Quidditch a good deal, especially now that she understood the game well. Her first couple of years she hadn't really and had been too shy to ask. But now, after reading Quidditch Through the Ages three times and five years of experience, Lily found the game to be more exciting than any Muggle sport she had come across.  
  
Finally it was time for the crowd to go down to the pitch. Lily, Morwenna, and Kathleen made their way out together, Frank and Alice following close behind. The five settled themselves in the stands, other friends from their house joining them. Remus waved to them as he and Peter went on up the stands, but Lily and Morwenna motioned them over. Shrugging, Remus made his way to them and sat down next to Kathleen, Peter following behind him.  
  
The match was off to an exciting, if dirty, start. At first Madam Hooch, Hogwarts' new Quidditch teacher, had been calling every penalty she saw but soon the players were spending more time making penalty shots than playing, so Madam Hooch was now calling only the worst offenses.  
  
"Dorcas Meadows of Gryffindor in possession," Ludo Bagman, the fourth year Hufflepuff and Quidditch obsessive who was commentating today's game, intoned. "Meadows to Potter, Potter to Swinton, Swinton to Meadows - MEADOWS SCORES!"  
  
Lily cheered along with the rest of the Gryffindor supporters. She was so wrapped up, in fact, that she didn't notice Alice jabbing her in the ribs and hissing "Lockhart!" in her ear until Lockhart was almost upon her. Realizing there was little she could do short of getting up and running away, next to impossible in this crowd, Lily watched him coming with the inevitable air of someone about to be executed.  
  
"Lily Evans," Lockhart began in the booming voice he reserved for such occasions. Whatever earth-shattering declaration he was about to make was destined never to be uttered, however, because Sirius just happened to beat a Bludger toward the bench Lockhart was standing on in the Gryffindor stands at that moment. Lockhart let out a squeal like a frightened pig upon seeing the Bludger hurtling his way and toppled over into the highly entertained crowd. Lily and her friends immediately burst out laughing at this, nearly wetting themselves in their mirth, and when Lily's attention finally returned to the game she could have sworn Sirius Black winked at her.  
  
* * *  
  
As the match wore on the Slytherins' tactics grew dirtier and dirtier. Madam Hooch was flabbergasted and hardly knew where to look first, let alone when to blow her whistle. The players had collided so many times that the spectators had stopped reacting.  
  
James shook his hair out of his face and looked round at his team. Higgins had a small lump on his temple where one of the Slytherin Beaters' bats had connected with his forehead, Dorcas had a cut above her right eye, Swinton had sustained some sort of injury to his ankle and Sirius was sporting a bloody nose.  
  
"Time out!" James bellowed and gathered his team together. "Right, we're tied 30 to 30 so it's still anyone's game but we have to get out of this soon if we don't want to be carted off the pitch on stretchers, which is exactly what the Slytherins are going for," James came to the point.  
  
"No shite," Sirius muttered, brushing away a trickle of blood.  
  
"Sullivan, where do we stand on the Snitch?" James asked his Seeker.  
  
"I've seen it loads of times but whenever I get close those two boulders the Slytherins call Beaters chase me away waving their bats," Olivia Sullivan reported.  
  
"They've gotten her a few times too," Higgins piped up. "I got this," he indicated the lump on his forehead, "trying to come to her rescue."  
  
"Just try to hang in there," James sighed. His whole body ached from his many collisions with the Slytherin players. "But Sullivan has to get that Snitch soon or their plan will have worked and some of us will have to sit out. Do whatever you can to help Sullivan get that Snitch."  
  
The game resumed, and James watched Sullivan circle round the pitch, keeping her eyes open for any sign of the tiny winged ball. Sirius was staying close to Sullivan, James noted, and wondered what he was up to.  
  
James had no more time to watch Sirius and Sullivan and gave his mind back to the game, scoring a few more goals. Unfortunately the Slytherins were keeping up, scoring just as many goals by any means necessary.  
  
"Sullivan dives!" Ludo Bagman suddenly exclaimed. "She's going for - I think she sees the Snitch! And there's Hurst right on her tail. The Snitch must be close to the ground, Sullivan isn't stopping! And Hurst is keeping pace with her! Either they're going to crash or Hurst is going to knock Sullivan off her broom - that's cobbing right there if I ever saw it Madam Hooch - but Sullivan still isn't stopping! It looks like - they're going to - SULLIVAN PULLS UP!"  
  
There was a loud "Ooooh!" from the crowd as Hurst connected with the ground with a sickening crunch.  
  
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Bagman was beside himself. "SULLIVAN DOES A WRONSKI FEINT! THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE! But wait! Sullivan's off again! Does she see the Snitch for real this time? She does! She's going for it... Ouch! Stopped again by the Slytherin Beaters and that one looks like it hurt. Shake it off, Sullivan!" The Gryffindors watched in dismay as their Seeker rolled over in midair, clutching her stomach where Wilkes' bat had connected with it. "But what's this? Here comes Gryffindor Beater Black, he's headed straight for the Slytherins with Higgins right behind him!"  
  
The crowd watched, silent with shock as Sirius and Higgins hurtled toward the Slytheirn Beaters, clubs raised.  
  
"And it looks like the duel of the Beaters here," Bagman continued uncertainly. "It probably won't come to blows, though. Oooh! Looks like I was wrong and that looks like it hurt! Apparently the Gryffindor Beaters feel that the Slytherins have hit their Seeker one too many times," Bagman winced as Sirius' bat connected with Slytherin Beater Wilkes' leg. "Well this is just - I mean it's - is anyone watching the Bludgers out there?"  
  
The Gryffindors and Slytherins in the stands were on their feet, cheering their Beaters on as they circled and chased each other, brandishing their bats. Madam Hooch had blown her whistle once rather half- heartedly, but seemed disinclined to interfere after all of the Slytherins' dirty tricks.  
  
"Sullivan seems to be breaking up the fight," Bagman observed with a touch of disappointment. "Hold on - SULLIVAN'S CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS!"  
  
A great cheer went up from the Gryffindor end of the stands as the Gryffindor team raced over to Sullivan, catching her in the middle of a team hug.  
  
"Padfoot, you great prat, you were bloody brilliant!" James roared over the shouts of the team and the cheers of the crowd.  
  
"Wilkes and Guilford had it coming!" Sirius shouted back, grinning widely as Dorcas ruffled his hair. "Someone had to get us out of this thing before we all ended up in the bloody hospital wing."  
  
Professor Dumbledore waited in the middle of the pitch for the Gryffindor team to descend, his eyes twinkling with merriment. James finally came forward to take the cup, looking round at his team.  
  
When his eyes met Sirius' James grinned, motioning him forward. Understanding James perfectly as usual, Sirius reached for the cup's other handle and together James and Sirius hoisted the Quidditch Cup high over their heads and, their team surrounding them, turned to face the cheering crowd.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Told you this chapter would be longer than the last one! :- ) Please review and tell me what you thought.... Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, special thanks to Four Stars, blazedsorceress, Risty, Zy, Sammie Tonks, Eowyn Jade, and Captain Oblivious. More to come soon! 


	17. Unprepared

Chapter 16 Unprepared  
  
That night the party in Gryffindor Tower went on until the wee hours of the morning. When Lily and Remus returned from their Prefect meeting at quarter to ten the party was already in full swing, with wall to wall banners, food and drink, and from the looks of the Gryffindor partygoers, it wasn't pumpkin juice.  
  
"How did Black and Potter manage to DO all this?" Lily asked. It really wasn't a question of who had done it.  
  
"Er - I dunno," Remus looked somewhat rueful. "Can I get some food or something?"  
  
"No thanks," Lily was amused at Remus' poor attempt to change the subject. "I'm just going to go and congratulate Dorcas.  
  
As Lily made her way to her friend, a familiar voice called out her name "Evans!" and suddenly there was James Potter standing right in her path. Lily sighed. Perfect. Potter on an ego high after a Quidditch victory.  
  
"Evans," James was speaking with a bit more effort than usual and Lily was suddenly aware that he'd had a bit too much to drink. "Been looking for you everywhere. Doesn't matter though, 'cause here you are. Couldn't miss you with that beautiful red hair," James' expression suddenly turned serious, a frown creasing his forehead. "Why d'you hate me so much? I don't hate you," James looked so disappointed that Lily almost felt sorry for him.  
  
"M'stomach flip-flops every time I see you," James continued. "Always has, ever since the first time I ever saw you."  
  
"I -" Lily had no idea what to say. Her face flushed hotly and she fidgeted, looking everywhere but at James. So she did the only thing possible in the face of this much embarrassment. She beat a hasty retreat.  
  
"Evans!" James called after her, but Lily had no intention of stopping.  
  
"C'mon, Prongs," Sirius had come up behind James and was leading him towards the boys' dormitory staircase. "You can impress Evans with your romantic declarations later.  
  
"Did I just say what I think I said?" James wanted confirmation.  
  
"Yep," Sirius replied cheerfully, and James groaned, burying his head in his hands. "But don't worry, mate. I think only about half of the common room heard."  
  
* * *  
  
The parties in Gryffindor Tower went on for the next week and only stopped because of the looming threat of final exams. But even when faced with the crisis exams inevitably provoked, the Gryffindors were still in good spirits. They had won the Cup once again and it had been one in the eye for the Slytherins, who had caused them no inconsiderable amount of grief this year.  
  
Lily was having a lot of difficulty studying for her exams. She just couldn't concentrate for any length of time, which was infuriating enough in itself, but the distraction was even worse. Lily could not get James Potter out of her head.  
  
Suddenly he seemed to be everywhere; every time she looked up there he was. He hadn't spoken to her since the night of the Quidditch Cup; he seemed embarrassed about it, in fact. But even though he was leaving her more or less alone, Lily couldn't stop looking at him or thinking about him. She'd replayed his words to her that night in the common room over and over again in her head.  
  
This behavior confused Lily thoroughly. She hated James Potter, why was he suddenly invading her mind this way? She couldn't read or study, or concentrate in class or at Prefect meetings. She was so absent-minded during her patrols that once some out-after-hours first years had snuck clear past her before she had realized they were there.  
  
True, Lily hated James less than she'd used to. He'd proven during the Whomping Willow incident that he wasn't the mindlessly cruel bastard she'd always thought he was. And he hadn't been a git about it when she'd apologized to him and said that humiliating thing about admiring him outside of Dumbledore's office. And he was a great friend. Lily admired these things, but she still didn't like him or want anything to do with him, so why was she behaving as though she did? He was still an immature, arrogant, spoiled son of a bitch who only wanted what he couldn't have.  
  
He just wouldn't get out of her head, that's all.  
  
* * *  
  
"Prongs!" a voice whispered in James' ear as something shook his shoulder insistently. James opened one eyelid a crack. Who in the bloody hell was waking him up at this hour of the night? Whoever it was, James was going to kill them.  
  
Somehow it was not a shock to see Sirius standing next to James' bed, fully dressed and holding the invisibility cloak. James put on his glasses so he'd be able to see Sirius properly when he murdered him.  
  
"What in the bloody - " James began, only to be silenced by Sirius.  
  
"You have to come and follow that passageway we saw Bellatrix in with me," Sirius whispered. "We have to find out how she knew about that passage and what she was doing in it."  
  
"Can't this wait until I'm awake?" James grumbled as he slid out of bed. Sirius grinned at him.  
  
"Nope," he handed James his clothes.  
  
"You do realize we have our Transfiguration exam tomorrow?" James whispered as they shuffled down the steps under his invisibility cloak.  
  
"Like we need to study for that," Sirius snorted. "Quiet now." The two didn't talk anymore until they were safely inside the passage. Pulling off the cloak, James and Sirius followed the passageway past the kitchens and on down into the dungeons, keeping their eyes on the Marauder's Map for any detour tunnels. But there didn't seem to be any.  
  
Finally James and Sirius reached the end of the passage and found themselves in the Potions corridor.  
  
"Why would Bellatrix care about a secret passage that leads from the main floor past the kitchens and down to the Potions corridor?" Sirius wondered aloud. "She's not exactly the sort to be sneaking out for a midnight snack, or not one from the kitchens anyway, I think she feeds on fear. That and the first years."  
  
"Padfoot," James said suddenly. "This is where Bellatrix and Lestrange led that attack on Lily and the others. Remember when Morwenna mentioned that it seemed like the Slytherins came out of nowhere? What if they came out of this passage?"  
  
"Yeah, I do remember that," Sirius said slowly, his brow furrowed. "How did they even find out about it? Most of them aren't the sort to go poking round Hogwarts looking for passages, they'd think it beneath their dignity."  
  
"Right," James looked about thoughtfully. "The question is, then, how did they find out?"  
  
* * *  
  
James and Sirius lost no time telling Remus and Peter about their discovery the next morning at breakfast. Huddled together at one end of the long Gryffindor table and speaking in low voices to ensure nobody could overhear, they quickly related the story to the other two. Remus reacted with his usual rationality, offering suggestions as to the possible ways Bellatrix or any of the other Slytherins involved could have found out, but it was clear that Remus was quite concerned over the idea. Peter was quite upset as well, declaring he'd never be able to use that passage comfortably again. The very thought of it seemed to make him nervous.  
  
However, the Marauders had no time to focus on this latest mystery. Final exams were now in full swing and the sixth year exams were particularly challenging in order to prepare them for next year's all- important NEWTs. Even James and Sirius were forced to spend some time in the library studying. Peter was on the brink of a complete mental meltdown as the Charms and Potions exams drew nearer, it was all the three other Marauders could do to get him through them.  
  
Finally, the sixth years sat for their final exam, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and the next morning it was time to board the Hogwarts Express once again for another summer holiday.  
  
"Finally," Morwenna sighed as she flopped down into a seat in the train compartment for the long ride home. "I thought we'd never get through exams."  
  
"Fancy next year being our last," Alice reflected as she set her owl's cage in the luggage rack.  
  
"Eurgh, don't remind me," Kathleen shuddered. "We'll be facing NEWTs this time next year."  
  
"After this year's exams I feel like I need to start studying now," Dorcas said dryly. "Aurors need top marks in everything."  
  
"Lucky I don't want to be an Auror then," Morwenna quipped. "I hope I managed decent marks this year, let alone next. I just don't want to disappoint my family."  
  
"What about you, Lils?" Alice was curious. "How'd your exams go?"  
  
Lily started at the sound of her name. She'd been a bit distracted, as usual. "Er - I dunno. All right, I hope."  
  
Truthfully, Lily wasn't at all sure how well her exams had gone. She'd been distracted over this ridiculous James Potter business for a good portion of the time, which hadn't exactly been conducive to studying. She was thoroughly relieved to be going home where she'd be able to forget about him completely. Hopefully by the time she saw him again in September she'd be over this stupid infatuation or whatever it was and things could get back to normal, with her hating him again.  
  
The five girls chatted a bit longer, then Alice stood up, and blushing a little, announced that she was going to see Frank. To some people's surprise, Kathleen stood up too. "Think I'll walk with you as far as the corridor, Alice," Kathleen wasn't meeting Lily's eyes. "There's someone I want to go and talk to."  
  
"What was that all about?" Morwenna wondered after the two had departed. Lily shrugged her shoulders, hoping she looked innocent.  
  
Kathleen had confessed to Lily after she had caught them that night that she had liked Remus since the beginning of the year. She was interested in him; he seemed different from the other boys Kathleen had dated, he didn't brag the way they did. In fact, he seemed as though he had a secret. Kathleen wanted to be more than snogging partners with Remus, but she didn't know if he felt the same and until she did, she would take the snogging.  
  
Clearly Kathleen was going to see Remus now for another clandestine snogging session. Lily wondered if Remus would ever get over his fears enough to confess his feelings to Kathleen or if he would ever trust her enough to let her in on his secret. As of now, things weren't looking good. They had been snogging since January for Merlin's sake.  
  
Trying not to think about where they would snog on a train, Lily turned back to her friends.  
  
* * *  
  
The Marauders, minus Remus who had gone to do some unspecified Prefect duties, spent most of the train ride home playing Exploding Snap. After Peter's eyebrows were singed off during one particularly intense game, he refused to play anymore and watched, sulking, as Sirius and James carried on.  
  
The train pulled into King's Cross Station toward dusk and students came streaming off the train to meet their parents. James, Sirius, and Peter joined the queue, searching for Mr. and Mrs. Potter and Mrs. Pettigrew in the crowd.  
  
The Potters stood with Morwenna Marchbanks' parents off to one side, waving to the boys. As Peter had spotted his mum as well the three said their good-byes and promised to send letters within the next couple of days. Then James and Sirius went over to join the Potters and Peter to his mother, a stout, fussy-looking witch who immediately began to tell Peter off for singeing his eyebrows.  
  
Lily, Morwenna, Dorcas, Frank, Alice, and Kathleen disembarked from the train in one big mass, scanning the crowd for their parents. Morwenna, Dorcas, and Kathleen, who had only joined them moments before the train pulled into the station, spotted their families right off and said their farewells and left. Lily began to veer toward the barrier. Her parents, unable to get onto Platform 9 ¾, would be waiting for her by the information desk.  
  
As Lily gathered her things, she heard Frank say to Alice: "Look, there's my mum. Come and meet her, won't you?"  
  
"Er - " Alice blanched. "I - I can't. I've - er - left something on the train. I'll just see you later, shall I, and maybe I can meet your mum then." Frank looked slightly confused by this logic but before he could say anything Alice had pecked him on the lips, told him she'd see him day after tomorrow, and was dragging Lily back onto the train with her.  
  
"I can't meet Mrs. Longbottom now!" Alice hissed to Lily frantically as she began to question Alice's erratic behavior. "She's scary! PLEASE stay with me here till they go." Frank and his mother waited round for a couple of minutes for Alice to reappear but finally left, Frank seeming a bit upset.  
  
"You know, if you want to continue seeing Frank you WILL have to meet his mother," Lily felt she should make sure Alice was aware of this.  
  
"Of course," Alice said impatiently. "I just didn't want to meet her today. I mean, you saw her, Lils. ANYONE is entitled to a little warning before they meet that woman."  
  
"Point taken," Lily couldn't argue with that. Mrs. Longbottom looked as if she could have personally caught and stuffed the vulture that adorned her hat.  
  
Lily left Alice with her brother Gideon, who greeted Lily warmly, before hurrying off to meet her own parents, not watching where she was going, and ran full tilt into someone.  
  
"Oh, Merlin, I am so - " Lily looked up to see who she had nearly flattened and was completely unprepared to see James Potter.  
  
"S'all right, Evans," James almost mumbled, jamming his hands in his pockets as Sirius looked on, amused.  
  
"I really am sorry," Lily managed, feeling herself beginning to blush. "Excuse me." Lily got herself out of there as fast as her legs would carry her.  
  
"Sirius, who was that very pretty girl?" Mrs. Potter, who had been watching this exchange between Lily and her son with interest, asked.  
  
"Lily Evans, one of the Gryffindor Prefects," Sirius said evasively. "She's in our year."  
  
"Really?" Mrs. Potter mused, watching Lily as she went through the barrier. To Sirius' relief, she didn't pursue the subject. Mrs. Potter had long ago learned when not to push an issue.  
  
* * *  
  
James and Sirius once again spent their holiday on the Potter estate as London had, if anything, become even more dangerous in the months since their last holiday. Every day there was more and more news in the Daily Prophet about Death Eater activity and the witches and wizards they killed and the Muggles they baited. More witches and wizards were listed officially as missing every day as well and people went into hiding by the dozens. The fear in the air was a tangible thing; many in the wizarding world were near hysteria, refusing to say Voldemort's name. This trend became almost the norm, to the point where the Daily Prophet began referring to Voldemort as You Know Who some time in late July.  
  
Nobody was immune to this fear, not even the influential Potters. James was extremely worried for his parents, both of whom held high positions in the Ministry and were among the most vocal against Voldemort and his supporters, after Dumbledore, of course. James and Sirius saw their headmaster several times during the summer holidays when he came to the Potters' home for various meetings, all of which James and Sirius were excluded from, despite their best efforts.  
  
Naturally all of this cast a significant gloom over the summer; not even Sirius was immune. However, the boys carried on as best they could, playing Quidditch any hour of the day or night that struck their fancy and seeing Remus and Peter quite often. Life seemed to be going well for Remus despite the grim current situation; though he wouldn't divulge to anyone what was going on, he seemed happier than any of them had seen him in quite some time.  
  
Of course, another factor was lowering James' spirits this summer: Lily Evans. He'd made a royal prat of himself at the common room party and James had failed to achieve the goal he had set for himself last summer: to persuade Lily Evans to go out with him.  
  
James was lying in bed one morning in August thinking about this and wondering if he had a chance in hell of attaining this particular goal when he was rudely interrupted.  
  
"Oy! Prongs!" Sirius bellowed from downstairs. "Hogwarts letters're here!"  
  
"Coming!" James roared back as he began pulling on some clothes. It was about time he got up and snapped out of this mope anyway.  
  
Still feeling a bit listless, James went downstairs to find Sirius.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily had spent her summer swathed in pink taffeta, or that was what it felt like to her. She had been required to go to dress fitting after dress fitting for her daft sister's god forsaken wedding and consequently had been forced to actually SEE herself in the pink nightmare that was her bridesmaid dress. Petunia was still in a state over her wedding but had unfortunately recovered herself enough to be especially nasty to Lily, hissing commands at her like an angry goose.  
  
On top of all this, Lily had had to endure an extremely unpleasant dinner with Vernon and his family, all of whom addressed her in loud, overpolite voices as though she were a rather stupid child when they weren't talking about and looking at her like an animal in a zoo. Lily was Petunia's black sheep, juvenile delinquent sister as far as Vernon's parents and sister Marge were concerned and Vernon, who knew the truth, regarded Lily as a freak to be feared and largely ignored. Lily, who had never had a migraine in her life before that evening, came home from the Dursely's with a severe one.  
  
She saw Morwenna, Dorcas, and Alice occasionally over the holiday and Kathleen not at all, though she sounded happy in the letters she sent to Lily regularly. It was from Morwenna, Alice, and Dorcas that Lily learned how badly things were going in the wizarding world. Even still, Lily would have traded her pink taffeta any day to be back in it.  
  
Lily had managed to keep James Potter out of her mind for most of the summer, mostly because she had a multitude of other things to occupy her time and thoughts. But much to her dismay, Lily would find her mind wandering to him before she put the thought firmly from her head. But it didn't always work.  
  
Lily awoke one morning in August thoroughly disgruntled after having an extremely bad dream the night before. The details were vague, but Lily knew for sure that James Potter had been in it and that was enough to put her in a very sour mood.  
  
To top it all off, Lily hadn't been awake for more than ten minutes when a bloodcurdling scream came form downstairs. Hoisting herself reluctantly out of bed and putting on her dressing gown and slippers, Lily shuffled down to see what all the commotion was about.  
  
A white-faced Petunia was sitting in a chair sipping strong tea next to a rather annoyed Mr. Evans, but all else seemed normal.  
  
"Good morning, darling," Mrs. Evans set down the sugar bowl she had been fetching for Petunia's tea and kissed Lily's cheek.  
  
"Morning," Lily mumbled, sitting down. "What was all the screaming about?" It was too much to hope for that Petunia had finally seen Lily's bridesmaid dress properly and had been screaming in horror.  
  
"An owl came with your school letter and it startled Petunia a bit," Mrs. Evans said mildly, handing Lily the letter while Petunia glared.  
  
Lily slit the envelope, which was heavier than usual this year. Inside was the usual start-of-term note but there was another letter wrapped round an object as well. Lily scanned the note quickly and let out a gasp.  
  
"What is it, dear?" Mrs. Evans was mildly concerned over Lily's behavior. Silently Lily handed the letter to her mother.  
  
"Why, Lily's been appointed Head Girl!" Mrs. Evans exclaimed, beaming.  
  
"That's wonderful! Congratulations, darling," Mr. Evans was equally enthusiastic.  
  
For her part, Lily was flabbergasted. Head Girl? It was so much responsibility. Feeling like she was in a dream, Lily picked up her shiny new badge and examined it. It seemed that it was really true. Lily was to be Head Girl. She wondered who the Head Boy was.  
  
The next two weeks flew by and before she knew it, Lily was once again standing on the Hogwarts Express, about to return to Hogwarts for another year. Except this year was the last she would spend at Hogwarts and she was returning as Head Girl.  
  
As soon as the train was underway, Lily bolted for the loo and hurried into her uniform, pinning her badge securely to her robes. Then she made her way to the Head compartment at the front of the train.  
  
On her way to the compartment, Lily tried to take deep breaths, but she still had butterflies in her stomach. Once again, she wondered who had been made Head Boy. Whoever he was, Lily sincerely hoped that he'd be helpful. She just wouldn't be able to do this on her own.  
  
Lily stopped just outside of the compartment. She could see movement through the heavy glass pane, but it prevented her from distinguishing who the person was. She could only assume that that was the Head Boy as the compartment was accessible only by a password. She only hoped it wasn't Snape.  
  
Taking one final deep breath, Lily pushed open the compartment door.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Wow, thanks for all the reviews, everyone! And I'm glad you liked the Quidditch in the last chapter; I wasn't sure I was doing it very well. Thanks for the encouragement. :-)  
  
A quick note about Quidditch: some of you pointed out to me that James was a Seeker, not a Chaser. It does say that in the movie version, but JK Rowling said in an interview with Scholastic on October 16, 2000 (the same interview where she revealed that Lily's last name is Evans and that Harry's middle name is James) that James was a Chaser. So that's the canon I'm going with, not the movie. After all, the movie also has Ron going into the Forbidden Forest to do detention instead of Neville and Petunia and Dudley have dark hair instead of blond. Here's the link to the interview if you want to check it out: Special thanks to lilynjamesAAF, SexxySiriusBlackChick5, Ronald's Girl, danielle, James Potter09, Rita Skeeter4, Captain Oblivious, Bajan Girl, and Four Stars. Another chapter will be up soon, probably this weekend. Until then, review, review, review! 


	18. The Wrong Foot

Chapter 17 The Wrong Foot  
  
"POTTER?!" Whatever Lily had been expecting when she opened the door to the Head compartment, it certainly wasn't James Potter, who stood there grinning at her with his usual arrogant grin, his hair in disarray. It couldn't be true, it just couldn't.  
  
But there it was, the telltale Head Boy badge pinned to the front of Potter's robes. Ridiculous or not, James Potter was Head Boy. The very thought of it twisted Lily's stomach into knots.  
  
"How - how can this be?" Lily wondered aloud, sinking into the nearest seat.  
  
"Wondered the same thing myself," James shrugged as he flopped down into he seat next to Lily. "There's a definite silver lining though: now you and I will be able to spend loads of time together."  
  
"No more than I can help," Lily snorted. "Let's have one thing clear straight off, Potter. I still hate you. I may have admitted once that I admired what you did for Snape, but that's as far as it goes."  
  
"Right," James grinned assuredly to prove to Lily how much he believed that particular statement. "C'mon Evans, admit it. You don't hate me at all. I'm exciting and talented and an all-round decent bloke, really. You might as well admit it: this year is going to be great and you'd hate to miss a second of it."  
  
Very deliberately, Lily reached into her bag and pulled out a small vial of liquid. "I was saving this for the next time you asked me out, but this occasion seems so much more appropriate," Lily's eyes flashed fire. "Do you know what this is Potter?"  
  
When James shook his head, puzzled, Lily uncorked the vial and continued.  
  
"It's Shrinking Solution, a very potent one. If at any time this year I feel you are antagonizing me or abusing your authority as Head Boy, my hand just might slip," Lily tilted the vial ever so slightly to illustrate her point, "and drop this on your trousers, if you catch my meaning." Lily corked the vial, stowed it in her bag, and started toward the door. "You and I have to conduct the Prefect's meeting in half an hour," Lily tossed over her shoulder. "I trust I'll see you there. Cheers." Lily opened the compartment door.  
  
"Sure thing," James replied casually, not sounding threatened by Lily's promise. "Oh, and Evans?" Lily turned. "You do realize what this Shrinking Solution bit means, don't you?"  
  
"No, but I'm sure you'll enlighten me," Lily was wary.  
  
James grinned. "It proves that you've been thinking about my trousers."  
  
Lily immediately flushed a spectacular shade of scarlet and fled the compartment, leaving James to laugh over his triumph.  
  
* * *  
  
Two hours later, Lily shut herself in the loo, her head spinning. She had just left the Prefect meeting, her first-ever meeting as Head Girl. It had been the longest hour and a half of her life. How could she possibly do this once a week? She'd never make it to October.  
  
Potter hadn't been completely unhelpful during the meeting and most of the Prefects knew and respected her from past experience, but she couldn't spend this much time with James Potter. Despite the long respite from him over the summer, she was still distracted by him. How was she supposed to function like this?  
  
Calm down, Lily told herself. What you need right now is to see your friends and relax. It won't always be this bad, you were just surprised. Unpleasantly surprised. GO and find your friends, it'll help you feel normal.  
  
Lily took a deep breath, pushed open the bathroom door, and went to find her friends. Finally she located them in a compartment toward the back of the train, all of them looking relaxed and brown from the sun.  
  
"...so I literally hid under the table until she passed," Alice was saying as Lily slid into the compartment. "Fabian teased me endlessly, of course, but it was worth it. Frank and I may have to elope if it ever comes to that point. I honestly don't know how I can get over this fear I have of her."  
  
"Lily!" Morwenna exclaimed, noticing Lily's entrance. "You look lovely! Had a good holiday? Wait a minute...." Morwenna had a closer look at the badge pinned to Lily's robes and emitted a squeal of delight. "Congratulations!" she exclaimed, pulling Lily into a hug. "I always knew you'd make Head Girl, Dumbledore would've been daft to choose anyone else!"  
  
Lily grinned among the shrieks and squeals and congratulations of her friends as Morwenna's words registered. Finally it felt just a bit good to be Head Girl and not like a load of extra headaches and responsibility.  
  
As the commotion died down a bit, it occurred to Morwenna to ask the question Lily had irrationally hoped to avoid.  
  
"Who's Head Boy, then?" They all looked at Lily expectantly.  
  
Lily sighed. "James Potter," she mumbled. Morwenna immediately burst out laughing and even after several minutes seemed unable to stop. The other joined in at first but eventually theirs subsided to grins and they began the inevitable teasing Lily had known would come..  
  
As a result, the train ride seemed interminable to Lily, who was already having the worst day she could remember. It seemed that they would never reach Hogwarts.  
  
* * *  
  
As soon as the Prefect meeting ended, James and Remus went to join Sirius and Peter, James with a self-satisfied grin on his face. He was firmly convinced that he had the best luck in the world.  
  
Remus and James had only been in the compartment a couple of minutes before Peter asked the inevitable question: "So who's Head Girl?"  
  
"Lily Evans," James enunciated, letting the words roll off his tongue and not even bothering to hide his glee.  
  
"You lucky bastard!" Peter exclaimed, clapping James on the shoulder.  
  
"You do really have the damnedest luck, Prongs," Sirius' grin showed James that he knew just how much this meant to him.  
  
"She's stuck with you now," Remus added. "She won't be able to miss what a grand chap you are."  
  
"I still can't figure how our Prongs became Head Boy," Sirius was only half-joking. "It's not like he's proved himself to be a valuable member of the Hogwarts student body or some such shite."  
  
"Unless you count causing mayhem as valuable," Peter put in.  
  
"Mayhem happens to be very valuable," Sirius retorted defensively. "He's helped keep the staff on its toes for six years now. Dumbledore ought to thank him really."  
  
"And he did. He made Lily and me Head Boy and Girl, who could ask for anything more?" James clearly was still marveling at his good fortune.  
  
"Don't know why he didn't give it to you though, Moony," Peter was thoughtful. "You are a Prefect and everything."  
  
Remus shrugged. "Don't know and don't care. Prongs is welcome to it."  
  
"Wormtail's right though," James said a bit more soberly. "You've done everything to deserve this and by rights you should have it."  
  
"Dumbledore must have his reasons," Remus repeated his often-said remark. "He always does."  
  
The rest of the train ride passed more or less uneventfully by Marauder standards. As they drew nearer to their destination, James began to feel a bit nervous. He knew he'd have to help organize everything when they got off the train, and he had no idea how to do that. Typically he was one of the ones being organized, he had no idea how to get people like himself to go where they needed to. Did HE even know where they needed to go?  
  
When the train stopped and the students poured out in their usual pandemonium, James was able to watch Remus, a veteran at this sort of thing, and more or less follow his example. Not to say that the entire experience went smoothly, but James managed and made it to the castle in one piece.  
  
James' first real catastrophe as Head Boy didn't come until after dinner when all of the Prefects had received the House passwords and were about to lead the first years to the dormitories. James spied Sirius at one end of the Gryffindor table, talking earnestly to a first year and proffering what James knew from personal experience to be an Acid Pop.  
  
Deciding that as Head Boy and an upholder of the rules he really ought to put a stop to this, James hurried over to Sirius and snatched the Pop from his hand as the first year looked on in terror.  
  
"Hey!" Sirius exclaimed, appearing baffled over this new and unexpected behavior from his best mate. "What're you on about?"  
  
"Are you completely daft, Sirius?" James hissed urgently, peering over his shoulder. "Are you TRYING to get me in trouble?"  
  
"I don't see what all the fuss is about," Sirius shrugged, then pointed out: "Besides, you used to do this all the time."  
  
James was just about to argue with this statement when a voice alongside them demanded: "What in Merlin's name do the pair of you think you are doing?"  
  
James turned to see Lily taking in the frightened first year and the Acid Pop clutched in James' fist, wearing what James had heard Morwenna refer to as her Prefect Look of Death.  
  
"It's not what it looks - I mean I wasn't - " James stammered ineffectually.  
  
"Let me guess: you're just holding it for someone," Lily retorted scathingly. "What do you think you're about, giving this first year an Acid Pop? He could burn a hole in his tongue!" The first year fled in terror at this point, joining a group of students about his size and stealing terrified looks at the seventh years.  
  
"But honestly I wasn't giving him this Acid Pop!" James waved the incriminating evidence about as he spoke, taking away a bit of his testimony's credibility in the process. He turned to Sirius for help, but Sirius was too bust trying not to double over with laughter that he wasn't any help at all. Disgusted, James turned back to Lily.  
  
"Whatever you say, Potter," Lily looked singularly unconvinced. "Just remember this: MY HAND WILL SLIP." With that, she whirled and walked away, appearing thoroughly disgusted.  
  
"What did Evans mean by that?" Sirius asked curiously. James set the Acid Pop down and, running a hand through his hair, related Lily's earlier threat with the Shrinking Solution to Sirius.  
  
If James had been expecting sympathy, he was doomed to disappointment. Sirius laughed so hard and so long he very nearly wet himself. Finally fed up, James hurled the offending Acid Pop at his best friend's head and went to see what fresh trouble his new Head duties could get him into.  
  
* * *  
  
Slytherin House was in an uproar that night after dinner. Many of them, particularly the seventh years, were outraged and disgusted over Dumbledore's choice of Head Girl. A Mudblood leading the school? Not while the Slytheirns had something to say about it.  
  
Bellatrix Black was particularly livid, as Snape knew she would inevitably be. Not only was the new Head Girl a Mudblood, but she was Lily Evans, Bellatrix's academic rival and personal enemy. Lily refused to stay in her place as a Mudblood and that, as far as Bellatrix was concerned, was unforgivable.  
  
To make matters worse, Bellatrix had, for the third year running, missed a Prefect appointment. She was the highest-ranked student in the sixth year who was not a Prefect, and this too rankled with Bellatrix, power hungry as she was. And here was Mudblood Evans, whom Bellatrix regarded as her inferior in every way, with the top spot in all the school. No wonder Bellatrix was spitting nails, Snape reflected.  
  
Snape watched his classmate prowl round the common room, her expression well and truly frightening in its irrational rage. And there was no Lestrange here to calm her or distract her from her fury, which was bound to explode at any moment.  
  
Spotting a few remaining first years in the corner of the common room, apparently too terrified and fascinated by Bellatrix to move, Snape made his way over to them.  
  
"Are you aware of the time?" Snape addressed them icily.  
  
"Er- yeah," one of them replied hesitantly.  
  
"Then I suggest that you make your separate ways to bed," Snape stared the first years down. Without another word they all left the armchairs they had been occupying and hurried off, still peeking over their shoulders at the raging Bellatrix.  
  
Feeling much put-upon as the eldest Prefect and the only one in the favored group's inner circle, Snape next went to see what could be done about Bellatrix.  
  
"It would be prudent for you to get a hold of yourself," Snape spoke softly. Bellatrix whirled around.  
  
"Get a hold of myself?" Bellatrix spat. Her body shook with the force of her rage as she launched into a furious tirade that included her feelings on Mudbloods in general and Evans in particular and why she would not stand for this degradation.  
  
Snape barely listened, irritated. Naturally, he too questioned Dumbledore's prudence in making such a controversial appointment, especially in times like these. But it was done and doubtless Dumbledore hadhis reasons for appointing Evans. She was, after all, a well-liked and respected student, not to mention the last one who would ever abuse her power.  
  
It was Potter that incensed Snape. How could Dumbledore willingly and knowingly designate so much power to that childish, egotistical bastard? He had never been in an authority position before, and rightly so. Potter was the very antithesis of authority and justice. Snape had very little doubt that he would soon feel the repercussions of Dumbledore's ridiculous choice.  
  
It took quite a while to coax Bellatrix back into some semblance of sanity, and by the time she had been calmed and had finally consented to go to bed, it was quite late. Snape would have to call the select few back for a meeting tomorrow night.  
  
With Lestrange gone, their little group looked to Snape for authority. After receiving his mark last spring, Snape had necessarily been much more a part of the Dark Lord's affairs. Most of Snape's impressions of the summer were jumbled ones of black cloaks and masks, of screams and laughter and forbidden incantations.  
  
In the bathroom, Snape pulled up his left sleeve and studied his forearm, as he often did. The Marl had darkened to black now, but the pain was still fresh in his mind. Sometimes Snape forgot it was even there, it still seemed unreal that it was. He would never forget the pain of having that Mark activated the first time the Dark Lord had summoned Snape to his side. He had since grown accustomed to it, but between times it seemed as though the entire thing was a distant though still vivid nightmare.  
  
Sighing, Snape finished getting ready for bed and slipped into his four poster just as his clock changed to 4:00. This term was certainly off to a brilliant start.  
  
* * *  
  
Over the next few days, Lily saw more of James Potter than she had ever wanted to in her life.  
  
While he still irritated her, Lily did notice a change both in him and in herself. James Potter wasn't as immature and annoying as he'd once been. He did still have a substantial ego, very substantial as a matter of fact, but he seemed to have grown up to some extent.  
  
No doubt he was still a prat, though. The Acid Pop incident on their first night back proved that. Yes, he was definitely still a prat. Maybe she should go and buy some actual Shrinking Solution, Lily mused, instead of just keeping that vial of perfume around to scare Potter with. Not that it had worked, though she had noticed Sirius Black taking the mickey out of James over the whole thing.  
  
Lily found that she herself had a bit more tolerance for him. He still seemed to be everywhere and Lily still thought about him a good bit, much to her own disgust.  
  
This must stop at any and all costs.  
  
Why had things changed? Lily sincerely wished she could hate James the way she always had before, with no sympathy and no reservations. Hating someone was so much more complicated when you knew they weren't the complete bastard you had always thought them. You even maybe felt a bit guilty for hating them, and thought about them more than you wanted to, couldn't keep your lips from twitching when they made a joke, noticed the nice things they did for people and their little idiosyncrasies. James Potter had become a person to Lily, and it was hard to hate someone once you thought of him or her as a real person. Not that Lily didn't want to hate him, it was just harder when he was on her mind constantly.  
  
One thing was for sure, if Lily couldn't get James Potter out of her head, it was going to be a very, very long year.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews everyone, with special thanks to LavenderBrown, Ehlonna, jmsoftball9, Ronald's Girl, James Potter09, callio, Four Stars, xox fillii, and Risty. Sorry the link to the JK Rowling interview didn't work. Here it is again, and if it still doesn't work, you can email me and I'll give it to you. Next chapter will be up this week, in the meantime keep reviewing! 


	19. Impending Catastrophes

Chapter 18 Impending Catastrophes  
  
Time was passing quickly at Hogwarts; the term had now been in session for three weeks. The students had settled into their schedules and the new year, as they invariably did.  
  
The seventh years' NEWT classes were proving to be a challenge right away, providing them with loads of homework. This in addition to their new Head duties kept both Lily and James' time quite occupied. They had to patrol several nights a week as well as lead and organize all of the Prefect meetings and selected staff meetings.  
  
James took these new responsibilities more or less in his stride, still managing to have plenty of time to captain the Gryffindor Quidditch team, laze about with the other Marauders, and tease his classmates.  
  
Lily, though she dealt with her new duties admirably well, didn't have quite as much time as James, nor did she understand how he managed to. She often stayed up very late finishing her homework and as a result was invariably late to breakfast and quite bleary-eyed when she got there.  
  
"Right on schedule," Dorcas commented dryly one morning as Lily came tearing into the Great Hall approximately ten minutes before breakfast ended. She pushed a plate of food over to Lily that she and the other girls had saved for her, as had become their custom.  
  
"Thanks," a very groggy Lily managed before she took a sip of her very strong tea, wishing it were coffee.  
  
"Don't mention it," Alice smiled sympathetically. "How late were you up working on that Transfiguration essay, Lils?"  
  
"On the Transfiguration essay, not late at all," Lily mumbled. "The Astronomy chart was another matter."  
  
Conversation was rather stilted as Lily managed to inhale some of her food. Then the five girls rose to make their way to the Charms classroom, chatting about their plans for the day and the Transfiguration homework that was due that afternoon.  
  
As the group passed the library, Remus Lupin emerged from it, still glancing down at the parchment in his hands with a frown of concentration on his face. As he looked up and saw the seventh year girls, however, he stopped short, blushing slightly.  
  
"Hi, Remus," Morwenna greeted him rather curiously.  
  
"Morning, everyone," Remus nodded to the group. "Hi Kathleen," he added, grinning shyly.  
  
"Hello, Remus," Kathleen replied in what she assumed to be a nonchalant tone, blushing and returning Remus' shy grin.  
  
"Oh dear," Morwenna said suddenly. "Alice, I've just remembered that we wanted to talk to Flitwick about - er - Summoning Charms! Remember?" Morwenna nudged Alice.  
  
"Right," Alice caught on. "Dorcas, didn't you want to ask about them too?"  
  
"Yes, yes I did," Dorcas said a bit too quickly and quite unconvincingly.  
  
"Let's go right now and ask him before we forget again," Morwenna continued firmly. "Lily, why don't you come too?"  
  
"Of course, Morwenna," Lily answered innocently. "Wouldn't want to miss a good Summoning Charm."  
  
"We'll see you later, Kathleen," Alice called out impishly. It was clear that Kathleen was mortified by this obvious behavior. Quickly Morwenna, Alice, Lily, and Dorcas fled round the corner before Remus or Kathleen could react. Safely out of sight, they began to giggle madly.  
  
"Fine Aurors any of us would make," Dorcas grinned.  
  
"Summoning Charms, Morwenna?" Lily teased.  
  
"Well, someone had to think of something," Morwenna sniffed. "Besides, it was perfectly obvious that they needed to be alone."  
  
Kathleen and Remus were very nearly late for class, so it wasn't until Professor Flitwick had assigned the class to work on their Sealing Spells that the four girls could grill Kathleen on what had happened in the hallway.  
  
"So spill," Alice hissed at Kathleen as she attempted to Seal the jar of water in front of her.  
  
"And don't play dumb about it either," Dorcas put in, winking.  
  
"All right, all right," Kathleen gave in with a sigh, but Lily could see that she wasn't as irked as she was pretending to be. "Remus and I exchanged letters all last summer and we spent some time together last year and - well - I fancy him and he fancies me and that's all there is to tell, really." Kathleen blushed fiercely and turned her attention to the little box she was supposed to be Sealing.  
  
"'That's all there is to tell, really,'" Morwenna mimicked, hands on hips. "Nice try, Kathleen. After the arse I made of myself back there, I think I deserve some details."  
  
"When did you spend time together last year?" Alice asked, tilting her head to one side. "I don't remember seeing the pair of you together."  
  
"He was tutoring me," Kathleen explained. "So most of the time we spent together was in the library."  
  
Or engaged in activities you wouldn't want your friends to see, Lily added to Kathleen's statement in her head.  
  
"Tutoring? I didn't think you were doing badly last year," Dorcas' brow furrowed. "What was he tutoring you in?"  
  
"Astronomy," Kathleen was suddenly quite interested in the Gryffindor emblem on her robes.  
  
"Astronomy?!" Morwenna exclaimed. "Astronomy has always been your best subject, you always say so yourself!"  
  
Kathleen suddenly looked up from her contemplation of her school robes. "I know," she said simply, grinning. All of five them shared a good, though stifled, laugh, earning them a rather puzzled glance from Flitwick, who failed to understand what anyone would find humorous about a Sealing Spell.  
  
Lily was overjoyed that her friends seemed to be on their way to the relationship they both wanted. They seemed completely at ease together and got on well, but Lily was almost positive that Remus hadn't told Kathleen his secret, which concerned her. Remus and Kathleen weren't officially a couple yet, and before they were Lily felt that Remus should tell Kathleen where it was that he went every month. Kathleen was a very understanding person; Lily was sure that she wasn't the sort to irrationally hate someone just because they happened to be a werewolf. Remus seemed to know Kathleen quite well and trust her as a friend; he couldn't really think Kathleen would let his lycanthropy come between them. But Lily was afraid that if Remus waited too long to tell her, one day it would.  
  
* * *  
  
Transfiguration went on much as it usually did for the seventh years that afternoon. They handed in their essays and resigned themselves to taking copious amounts of notes during Professor McGonagall's lecture. Just before the class ended, McGonagall assigned them more homework, producing the usual enthusiastic round of groans, protests, and complaints to which McGonagall offered only her typical lecture on the importance and proximity of their NEWTs. The groans had barely died down when McGonagall made one more announcement. "Potter, Evans, I'd like a word with the pair of you after class, please."  
  
James and Lily, both wondering what James had done now, approached their Professor and Head of House. McGonagall waited until the rest of the class had filed out and locked her door before speaking.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore would like a word with both of you before you go to the Prefect meeting this evening. You're both to report to his office at 6:30."  
  
"Have you any idea what this is about, Professor?" Lily asked, certain from McGonagall's odd behavior that something was up.  
  
"I'm afraid that it is Professor Dumbledore's place to tell you that, Miss Evans," McGonagall replied crisply. But it was perfectly clear to both James and Lily that the Professor wasn't telling them everything.  
  
"You may both go now," McGonagall added after a short pause. "I expect I shall see you both later on this evening." Knowing a dismissal when they heard one, the Head Boy and Girl made their way out of the classroom, puzzling over McGonagall's rather cryptic remark.  
  
* * *  
  
At precisely 6:30 that evening, the staircase that led to Professor Dumbledore's office, normally concealed behind a statue of a gargoyle, revealed itself. Lily and James, both of whom had been early for their appointment, started eagerly toward it. Once they were both standing on a step, the staircase began to wind its way upward to the Headmaster's office, the door of which was slightly ajar. Shooting Lily a quizzical look over his shoulder, James knocked on the door and was bade to enter.  
  
Dumbledore sat at his desk, calm and inscrutable as ever. "Lily, James," he greeted warmly. "Do please have a seat." Dumbledore waited patiently until both students had settled themselves before his desk. "I have something of a rather serious nature to discuss with the pair of you."  
  
"Whatever it is," James cut in earnestly. "Lily - I mean Evans - had nothing to do with it." Lily looked at James in surprise for a moment, then flushed when he caught her looking.  
  
Dumbledore chuckled. "This isn't about one of your many practical jokes, James, though I must say I quite enjoyed Sirius' attempt to alter the wording on the school banner last week. Not that such language is appropriate for school." He added mildly. "No, this something far more serious.  
  
"I have it on good authority," Dumbledore continued in a more solemn tone, "that a group of Death Eaters are planning to attack Hogsmeade some time in the near future, the very near future. While Hogwarts is well protected from an attack, I fear we may have some problems within the castle because of it," Dumbledore's clear blue eyes burned into both Lily and James' eyes in turn, implying what sorts of problems he was referring to.  
  
"As a precaution until this particular problem can be dealt with," Dumbledore went on. "I am asking that all of the Prefects patrol the corridors in pairs, and that they do this until further notice. I do realize this will be an additional strain, but I would not ask it if it weren't necessary."  
  
"We'll tell them tonight, sir," Lily said quietly, more disturbed than she cared to admit.  
  
"There's one further request I would like to make," Dumbledore's expression remained solemn but mild and kind. "I want each and every Prefect to make especially certain that there are no students out of their common rooms for any reason. If they see anyone, they are to detain them and summon myself or one of the other professors, who will be patrolling the corridors as well, immediately to deal with the student." Dumbledore paused, glancing down at the roll of parchment in front of him. "I have written up a schedule and patrol area for each pair of Prefects. And, as Head Boy and Girl, I have a special assignment for the pair of you."  
  
Dumbledore glanced first at Lily, then at James, his eyes piercing. "What I am about to tell you cannot leave this room," Dumbledore began quietly. "I have reason to suspect that some students may be planning to join the Death Eaters planning the attack. I want you to patrol together in the dungeons near the Slytherin dormitories. Part of the reason I made you Head Boy, James, and you Head Girl, Lily, is because I know you both to be trustworthy and capable. I am entrusting this secret and this responsibility to the pair of you."  
  
"I understand, Professor," James was as solemn as Lily had ever seen him. Lily nodded her head in response to Dumbledore's gaze, too overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation to vocalize an answer.  
  
Dumbledore rose. "If you don't mind, I'll accompany you to the Prefect meeting tonight." His eyes twinkled. "It seems best to deliver the bad news in person."  
  
The three of them made their way to the anteroom off the Great Hall where the Prefect meetings were typically held, walking as allies for the first, though not the last, time.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily stifled a yawn and checked her wristwatch. Still another two hours of patrol to go. She sneaked a look at James. Potter looked as bored as she felt, though not as exhausted. Where did that boundless energy come from?  
  
"So who in Slytherin d'you reckon is a Death Eater?" Lily was momentarily startled by the noise. Their patrol had been a silent one; there was too much discomfort on both sides for easy conversation and both had been lost in their own thoughts anyway, digesting the information they had received earlier.  
  
"Dunno...." Lily replied slowly. "Dumbledore didn't exactly say that any of them were, did he?"  
  
"Not in so many words," James snorted. "My money's on Snape personally. And on Bellatrix Black."  
  
"I agree with you there," Lily's lips twisted wryly. "She's enough of a nutter to do it, that's for certain."  
  
"And she'd certainly have the ringing endorsement of her family, not to mention her boyfriend," James put in. It seemed to good to be true; he and Lily were having a real conversation, without threats, shouting, or declarations of preferences for the giant squid. It was definitely too good to last, but James planned to do everything in his power to see that it did.  
  
"Is her family into the Dark Arts then?" Lily was just as surprised as James by their conversation and had decided to see where it would take her in spite of the little voice in her head screaming at her to remember that she hated this boy.  
  
"That's putting it mildly," James quirked a brow ironically. "The 'Most Noble House of Black' has been renowned for its pureblood pride for centuries. Bellatrix is very highly thought of in her family, held up as an example to follow"  
  
"I had no idea," Lily said quietly. "Being a Muggle born I hear hardly any of that sort of thing, about people's families and such, I mean." Lily shrugged. "I barely hear about what's going on in the wizarding world at all when I'm at home."  
  
"Does your family have any idea how bad things have gotten for us? For wizards, I mean?" James asked curiously.  
  
"No, not really," Lily seemed a bit uncomfortable. "It all seems so far away when I'm at home, almost as though it isn't even real. And I don't want to worry them."  
  
"Must be nice to escape from things a bit," James looked down at his shoes awkwardly.  
  
"In a way," Lily shrugged. "But I'd a thousand times rather be living in the wizarding world with all of its problems than not know about it or have to live outside of it."  
  
"Is there anything you miss about the Muggle world while you're here?" James was extremely curious about Lily Evans and intended to get as much information from her as she was willing to give during this exchange.  
  
"Er - " Lily appeared thoughtful. "I miss little things really, like soft drinks and television and having my own room. And my family, of course," she added.  
  
"D'you have loads of brothers and sisters?" Lily never said anything about her family.  
  
"Not loads, just one. An older sister," Lily was twisting her hair round her finger. "What about you?" she asked quickly, apparently eager to get off of this subject.  
  
"Only child," James replied simply. "I think I ended up being a bit more of a liability than my parents reckoned and they were scared off of the idea of having any more." James was both startled and delighted to hear Lily laugh. He couldn't believe it, he was fairly certain he'd never heard her laugh in his presence before. It was a beautiful sound.  
  
James devoted the rest of their patrol time to making Lily laugh, feeling ridiculously triumphant when he succeeded. They talked about everything from Quidditch to schoolwork to the Muggle versus wizarding world as they walked slowly up and down the corridors, keeping a sharp eye out for anything unusual.  
  
All too soon, in James' mind, it was time to return to Gryffindor Tower, their patrol over for the night.  
  
"Goodnight, Evans," James said regretfully once they had reached the common room.  
  
"Goodnight, Potter," Lily returned, giving him a hesitant but nonetheless dazzling smile before brushing back her hair and making her way up the stairs. Bereft of speech, James watched her go, feeling his stomach flip-flop a bit harder than usual.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily made her way up the stairs to bed, in a better mood than she usually was after a night spent patrolling, even with Dumbledore's revelation causing her head to spin.  
  
James Potter. Lily thought about their conversation as she got ready for bed. He was a much more stimulating person than she'd thought he'd be and had turned out to be a decent bloke under the arrogance and immaturity, and for some reason he hadn't seemed to be either one particularly tonight.  
  
She still wasn't sure why she'd opened up and talked to him. Perhaps it was the combination of her shock over Dumbledore's news and the prolonged period of time they'd spent together; it would've been rather difficult to keep silent during the entire patrol.  
  
He'd actually been fun, Lily reflected as she climbed into bed. Fun and nice and normal, not a bullying git or an arrogant, horny bastard. He really wasn't all that bad once you got to know him, and he wasn't half bad to look at either.....  
  
Lily sat bolt upright in her four poster. No. Oh, Merlin, no.  
  
She sounded suspiciously like a girl with a crush and Lily would NOT allow herself to fancy James Potter. He was everything she detested, she couldn't fancy him. She didn't fancy him, not at all.  
  
Well, maybe a bit when he smiled that heart-stopping smile. True, it was a touch arrogant, but it was basically irresistible.  
  
And maybe a bit when he tried to make her laugh. Lily couldn't remember anyone ever going out of his way to make her laugh before.....  
  
Oh, Merlin.  
  
Lily buried her face in her pillow to muffle her groan. She FANCIED James Potter. Was this some sort of cosmic practical joke?  
  
Get a hold of yourself, Lily told herself sternly. You DO have some say in who you fancy after all. You are a levelheaded, intelligent witch and you do NOT fancy that git. You hate him because of the way he treats other people and pesters you and is SO UNBELIEVABLY arrogant. You're just infatuated. Take a step back and calm down.  
  
Yes, Lily reassured herself, taking that deep breath, I still hate him, I really do, and I don't fancy him even a bit. Lily rolled determinedly onto her side and closed her eyes firmly, then quickly opened them again when she could see James Potter's arrogant, charming smile behind her eyelids.  
  
Lily pounded her pillow again in frustration. She did NOT fancy James Potter, she really didn't, and if she just said it often enough it would be perfectly true.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took me so long to post, the next one will be up a lot faster. I really appreciate all the reviews, with special thanks to LavenderBrown, Ronald's Girl, blazed sorceress, Risty, Captain Oblivious, and AshliRyTe. Keep reading and reviewing! 


	20. Unscheduled Programming

Chapter 19 Unscheduled Programming  
  
Snape hurried back to his common room directly after the Prefect meeting, furious at Bellatrix for not telling him what was going on within his own House and circle of allies. Professor Dumbledore had questioned Snape immediately after the meeting, asking if there was anything that Snape wished to tell him. Snape was not a fool and was well aware that Dumbledore was not one either. Dumbledore was the only living wizard his master feared, and for good reason. Yet Bellatrix believed herself capable of deceiving him, even after what had transpired last year. Clearly she had learned nothing from the experience.  
  
Why had Bellatrix gone behind his back on this one, Snape wondered. It worried him more than he cared to admit even to himself. Lestrange had trusted him, as far as Lestrange was capable of trusting anyone, and Rodolphus' word was gospel to Bellatrix. Yet here she was leaving him out of what was undoubtedly a highly complex scheme. What did it all mean?  
  
It took no time at all for Snape to locate Bellatrix, who was surrounded by her usual gaggle of admirers. Seething inwardly but managing to keep a hold of himself, Snape asked her for a private word. Eyes alight with anticipation, Bellatrix agreed and led him to one of the study rooms.  
  
Snape banged the door shut. "What in the name of Merlin do you think you're playing at with this attack?" Snape thundered, feeling fully capable of murder. "I've just come from Dumbledore, who informed me in a roundabout way that he's fully aware of who within this house is contemplating engaging in a Death Eater attack on Hogsemade. If I'm wrong about this, now is the time to tell me before I decide whether or not to turn you in to Dumbledore or to the Dark Lord himself."  
  
Bellatrix laughed, a chilling sound in the small room. "Come now Severus," she cooed. "You can't expect me to tremble at the thought of the ickle Headmaster coming to scold me. This attack is going to happen, and it's no wonder I left you out of it. You're no fun at all. Too concerned about what darling Dumbledore is going to think, too cautious and boring to tears. You have no imagination, my darling"  
  
"That's another thing, Bellatrix," Snape growled. "There are VERY strict rules about authority, rules you are well aware of, and you flagrantly violated them when you left me out of this little maneuver. As Avery has not yet proved himself to our lord's satisfaction, I am the only Marked one here and therefore am in the highest position of authority."  
  
"Not anymore," Bellatrix enunciated slowly and with great pleasure as she rolled up her left sleeve and displayed the Dark Mark located on her forearm. It wasn't fresh; she had to have received it some time over the summer. Snape was puzzled; generally the follower to be Marked was surrounded by all of the Death Eaters at their Marking, where they were forced to prove themselves worthy of the Mark, a symbol of trust and camaraderie. It was something of a ritual, the hooded, masked Death Eaters surrounding the candidate and the Dark Lord while he ensured their loyalty to his satisfaction before bestowing the Dark Mark. If Bellatrix hadn't had one of these ceremonies, Snape wasn't sure how she had proved her loyalty and suddenly he was aware that he didn't want to know.  
  
"I want you to listen very closely to me, pet," Bellatrix's insanity was plainly in evidence as she covered her Mark once again. "There are some changes that are long overdue at Hogwarts, mostly concerning our beloved Headmaster and his laughable policies. But it's also time that we had some fresh blood, so to speak, leading our noble House in the Dark Lord's work. And I will step up and lead with or without your support, dear Severus. It's your choice about where you want to stand." Bellatrix cast one more maniacal grin over her shoulder as she swept from the room.  
  
Snape paced the small space furiously, his mind buzzing. It was clear that Bellatrix had some very influential friends, Snape didn't dare to venture a guess as to how influential. This meant one thing: however much Snape might disagree with Bellatrix's strategy there was really nothing he could do about it.  
  
* * *  
  
It had been three nights now since Lily and James' first patrol together and, to the shock of both, they were continuing to get on admirably. Their conversations had not ended after that first night, they chatted nonstop essentially during their patrol time about virtually everything. It was surprising to both how much they could find to discuss.  
  
Now that James knew what Lily was really like he was more in love with her than ever and the hours they were spending together were some of the happiest of James' life. He was absolutely euphoric and this, or so his mates told him, was quite irritating.  
  
Not that James had seen much of them since the recent patrol increase. Consequently he'd had no chance to tell Remus and Peter about this progress at all and Sirius knew only the barest details. Even they, once inseparable, rarely saw each other outside of class or Quidditch practice lately, James kept such an insane schedule. Peter had made himself a bit scarce and Remus was distracted himself.  
  
Since they had realized that virtually all of their friends were aware of the situation between them, Remus and Kathleen had come out of the closet a bit, so to speak, over the last few days. They spent loads more time together in public and now could often be seen walking to class and eating meals together as well as, of course, studying. For her part, Lily was very tempted to ask if Remus was still tutoring Kathleen in Astronomy.  
  
Lily too, unbeknownst to James, was enjoying the time she and James were spending together, in spite of the epic inner battle she was fighting with herself over her feelings for him. After a couple of days of this, she had grudgingly admitted to herself that she didn't hate him anymore, despite constantly telling herself that she did. She'd even resorted back to pointing out all of his bad points to herself, which had backfired disastrously because she had gone back to noticing him.  
  
What was it about him that had changed? Lily wondered, taking careful glances at him then looking away before he noticed one afternoon in Defense Against the Dark Arts. She'd known since the werewolf incident last winter that he wasn't the complete bastard that he'd used to be. And as far as she knew, he hadn't pulled any cruel pranks on anyone like he used to. Bit by bit, James was becoming someone other than the tosser that had tormented her since first year. But what was it about him that had changed? What was it that now interested her?  
  
It was loads of little things, stupid things really, like the way his mates all looked up to him a bit, whether they were willing to admit it or not, and his loyalty to them, especially to their secrets. Or his genuine respect for both Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, no matter how many grey hairs he might put on their heads, and his lack of traditional pureblood snobbery. She was amused by how seriously he took his Head Boy position, and how he tried to do it well, even though he had no clue how to be a good role model, and people listened to him anyway.  
  
Lily was fascinated by James' nonchalance about his family's wealth and influence and the way he twirled his quill between two fingers when concentrating. She admired the way he could explain the most obvious thing in the world to Peter without making him feel like a git and the way he went against his best mate and followed Snape into the Whomping Willow that night. She wondered at the way his smile became loads brighter and a touch less arrogant whenever he caught sight of her and was amused by the way he tried so hard to make her laugh, then attempted to be nonchalant and pretend he hadn't been trying at all when he succeeded.  
  
Of course, not everything had changed. Lily still hated the way he continued to muss his already untidy hair so it appeared (in his mind) like he'd just finished playing Quidditch, the cocky way he just naturally assumed he was always right, and the way he strutted after winning a Quidditch match. She still longed to slap him silly when he smirked at her whenever other people were about, like he knew that one day she'd give in to his irresistible charms and fall headlong into his arms, and the slightly surprised look that crossed his face every time she didn't fall swooning at his feet.  
  
Lily was determined to stop her feelings for James before they went out of control. A crush on James Potter just wasn't in the program.  
  
* * *  
  
Fancying James is not part of the program, Lily repeated to herself firmly over and over again later that night during their patrol. Fancying James - no - POTTER - is NOT part of the program. In spite of herself she couldn't help laughing at James' many colorful tales of the pranks he and his friends had pulled over their years at Hogwarts. Lily had a stitch in her side as James recounted a prank in their fourth year that had required Sirius to seduce a Prefect in order to sneak into the Prefects' bathroom.  
  
"....Sirius told her that bathrooms made him really hot," James was explaining to a chortling Lily. "And she said that she'd always wanted to snog in a bathroom as well, which was unlucky for Sirius as he wasn't sure that he actually fancied snogging this particular Prefect, and he definitely did not fancy snogging her in a loo. We don't know what exactly he had to do in that bathroom to get them, but he did come out with the bubbles anyway."  
  
"And you filled McGonagall's office with them," Lily remembered, wiping her eyes. "We all wondered where those bubbles had come from, and then the next year when I knew where they came from, I started to wonder how exactly you'd gotten them."  
  
"Now you know," James grinned, feeling at peace with the world and a bit giddy. Succeeding with the girl you fancied was indeed a heady feeling, one he could definitely get used to.  
  
James and Lily climbed up the stairs from the dungeons to do a quick sweep of the floor above, still talking together. They both shut up, however, as they heard strange noises coming from round the corner.  
  
Lily started toward the corridor, but James stopped her. "I'll go look," he whispered. "There's a secret passage that leads to the dungeons over there and if it is a Slytherin planning an attack they may know about it. One of us should stay here to make sure they can't double back to it."  
  
"All right," Lily frowned slightly, feeling like she ought to help James deal with this situation. But it was too late. He had disappeared round the corner. Lily glanced round her, trying to determine where the passage was when she noticed a small rustling noise coming from a nearby statue.  
  
Brows knitted, Lily cautiously made her way over to it, examining the statue for anything unusual. No one was hiding behind it, but what if this was the passage entrance Potter had been referring to?  
  
James came back round the corner, relieved that the noise had only been Peeves but a bit irritated, as Peeves had managed to poke James in the eye. He was about to tell this to Lily when he noticed her studying the statue, which just happened to be the entrance to the passage on this floor, intently.  
  
Thinking that it might be important to be quiet, James crept toward the statue. He was about halfway there when Lily suddenly gasped and stumbled back, losing her balance and landing on the floor with a thud.  
  
"Evans!" James ran over to Lily and knelt beside her. "What just happened? What's in that statue?" To his surprise he realized Lily was laughing.  
  
"It was just a rat," she explained. "It was hiding behind the statue and made some rustling noises. I went to see and it darted out and startled me. I really do feel like a complete arse for being startled by a rat, considering how many of them I've seen. I really should be able to tell the difference between a crazed Death Eater and a common rat by now"  
  
"Well, yes, especially after seeing so much of Lockhart," James cracked. Lily started laughing again and James joined her.  
  
Afterwards he could never say exactly how it had happened. One moment they were sitting on the stone floor of the hallway laughing, James remembered noticing how close his head was to Lily's, and the next thing he knew he had leaned over and kissed Lily.  
  
Their lips met only briefly, but James was surprised by the intense feelings it evoked and closed his eyes against the fireworks that exploded behind his eyelids. It took only another split second for reality to come crashing back as James realized that one, he was kissing Lily, and two, that she hated him. Quickly James moved back and opened his eyes, embarrassed and disappointed and sad that it had to end.  
  
"I am so sorr - " James managed to get out before Lily pulled him back toward her, put her arms round his neck, and pressed her lips to his. James' hands went automatically to her waist, pulling her closer, too shocked to enjoy the first few seconds. Finally it hit him and he suddenly felt filled with euphoria. He couldn't believe this was happening to him. Lily Evans was kissing him, and he was kissing her. Everything in the world was as it should be.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily could not believe she was doing this. This was what happened when you were impulsive, you found yourself kissing your mortal enemy on a cold stone floor in a very public corridor while you were supposed to be patrolling said corridor for any rule breakers.  
  
She couldn't believe that she, Lily Evans, had pulled James Potter closer to her so she could kiss him. Kiss him, of all things. Lily had managed to thoroughly shock herself this time.  
  
But after a few seconds, Lily's shock turned into surprise over how right this kiss felt and by the fireworks exploding in her head. This was exactly how a kiss should feel, exactly what another person should taste like. It was a perfect kiss, and Lily didn't want it to end. In that moment, she felt as though she could have kissed James Potter forever.  
  
* * *  
  
Finally, after an indeterminable amount of time, Lily and James pulled apart, still sitting on the stone floor of the corridor. James stole a glance at Lily, she was blushing a bit but had a bemused sort of grin on her face, identical to the one, James imagined, that was stretched across his own face.  
  
"Wow," James broke the silence, still beaming.  
  
"Wow," Lily repeated, her eyes sparkling, a lock of hair hiding her smile from James' eyes.  
  
Gently James reached over and tucked the lock of Lily's scarlet hair behind her ear, his hand lingering on her cheek for just a moment. Lily closed her eyes, her expression growing a bit confused.  
  
"Look, Lily, if you're sorry about what just happened," James began, his heart in his throat and his stomach in knots, "then I'm sorry that you're sorry, but I want you to know that I'm not sorry it happened, that we kissed." He finished in a rush.  
  
Lily sighed. She wasn't quite sure what it all meant just yet, but she definitely knew that she wasn't sorry it had happened.  
  
"I'm not sorry either," Lily said firmly, making a decision. She opened her eyes and met James' relieved gaze.  
  
James released a breath he hadn't been aware of holding. "Sure?" he asked for confirmation.  
  
"Sure," Lily reaffirmed, her tone definite. At that, James' face broke into a grin again, utterly blissful and speechless in his relief.  
  
The pair stood up, busying themselves with brushing and straightening their clothes to cover the embarrassment and awkwardness of the moment. A quick glance at their wristwatches told them that their patrol was over and it was time to return to Gryffindor Tower. Lily suddenly giggled into the silence.  
  
"It's just that now I know how all of those couples I've caught snogging after hours feel," she said by way of explanation, effectively breaking the ice. She and James shared a laugh as they started up the steps toward the main floor.  
  
"What're you doing tomorrow?" James asked after a bit.  
  
"Catching up on my homework," Lily replied automatically, then instantly regretted saying anything. Was she ready to spend time with James Potter outside of Head duties?  
  
"Maybe I'll see you in the library tomorrow then," James said nonchalantly.  
  
"Maybe," Lily was noncommittal.  
  
"Maybe after breakfast?" James was suddenly quite interested in his shoes.  
  
"Maybe," Lily repeated. A little smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. James' hopes soared.  
  
The rest of the walk to Gryffindor Tower was a silent one and quickly accomplished. Finally Lily and James were facing each other in the common room, neither of them sure of the right thing to do or say in this particular instance.  
  
"Well - er- good night, then," Lily said finally, giving James a brief but dazzling smile and hurrying up the stairs.  
  
Rendered speechless yet again with that smile, Lily was halfway up the staircase before James found his voice. "Lily?" She turned, looking down at him expectantly.  
  
Cursing himself, James frantically groped for something to say that was NOT "I think I'm in love with you." "Uh..."  
  
"Yes?" Lily asked encouragingly.  
  
Waiting a second for something brilliant to pop out of his mouth and thoroughly embarrassed when it didn't, James settled for: "Would you still rather go out with the giant squid than me?"  
  
"I dunno....." Lily shifted her weight from one foot to the other and pretended ( hopefully) to be in deep thought. "I suppose I'll have to go and kiss him and let you know."  
  
Both grinned at this remark. "Good night," Lily said again, turning once more to go on her way.  
  
"Good night," James replied softly and made his own way to bed, completely unable to feel the floor beneath his feet all the way up to his dormitory.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Hooray! The 200 review mark!! I have the best readers ever; thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed. In answer to a question I received about Lucius Malfoy, in Order of the Phoenix it gave Lucius' age as 45, which would make him about 7 or 8 years older than Snape and the Marauders, so that's why he's not at Hogwarts with them. That doesn't mean he (and Narcissa) won't show up in my story though, so stay tuned. Special thanks to Four Stars, Sammie Tonks, Cookies for Khleo, Willow23, Dumbledore, and blazedsorceress. It makes me happy to know that people are enjoying this story. Another chapter is coming soon, keep the reviews coming! 


	21. Not Just a River in Egypt

Chapter 20 Not Just a River in Egypt  
  
James opened the door to the seventh year dormitory and tiptoed into the room, relaxing when the familiar sound of Peter's snores came to his years. James moved stealthily to his bed and bent to untie his shoes.  
  
"Are you AWARE of the time, young man?" Mrs. Potter's voice came from somewhere in the darkened room. James jumped and spun around to see Sirius sitting up in his bed, a self-satisfied grin in his face.  
  
"Padfoot! You scared the shit out of me!" James exclaimed. Sirius' impression of his mother had been uncanny. "Have you been awake this whole time?"  
  
"Yep," Sirius returned cheerfully, looking very much amused.  
  
"Where's Moony anyway?" James inquired as he pulled on his pajamas. It wasn't like Remus to be out in the wee hours of the morning, not without James or Sirius' persuasion anyway.  
  
"Not back yet," Sirius shrugged. "I expect he and Kathleen are 'inspecting' a broom cupboard for rule breakers somewhere."  
  
"Ah," James nodded, unable to prevent a small smile from creeping across his face at the images Sirius' answer had evoked in his own memory.  
  
"I saw that," Sirius accused, eyes assessing his best friend. "What's going on with you anyway? You look like you just found a peephole into the girls' bathroom in Gryffindor Tower."  
  
"Close," James' grin widened. "Lily and I kissed during our patrol tonight."  
  
"Sure you did," Sirius scoffed. "So did Snivellus and I, in fact. For hours. With lots of tongue."  
  
"You said yourself that I looked happy," James pointed out. "I'm telling you the reason."  
  
"Wow," Sirius leaned back against the headboard as though he needed physical support. "How was it?" he asked, knowing full well that, unlike himself, James didn't kiss and tell and it was essentially pointless to even ask.  
  
"Perfect," James answered without hesitation. "It was worth waiting for. In fact, I don't think I want to kiss another girl ever again."  
  
Sirius appeared horrified by the very idea of only kissing one girl forever. After a moment, during which Sirius visibly attempted to get a grip on himself, he managed to ask: "And what did dear Lily think?"  
  
"Well...." James hesitated. "She said she wasn't sorry it had happened."  
  
"Oh," Sirius said politely. "Well, that's something, isn't it?"  
  
"I'm meeting her tomorrow," James added almost defensively, Lily's "maybe's" echoing in his head.  
  
"Hope that goes well for you, Prongs, I really do," Sirius said sincerely. "Maybe Evans is finally realizing what a brilliant bloke you are."  
  
"Yeah," James agreed his grin back in place. "Maybe she's finally ready to give me a chance."  
  
* * *  
  
Lily sat in the library the next morning during breakfast, biting her nails and staring into space, completely lost in thought. She'd given up the pretense of doing her homework after only five minutes of effort, realizing how futile it was to even attempt to focus on anything right now. Anything besides last night, anyway.  
  
Lily had stayed awake half the night, alternately remembering the kiss dreamily and agonizing over what it meant. She hadn't told a soul about last night, it was too fresh and she wasn't at all sure about what she intended to do, or even how she felt.  
  
She'd told James that she wasn't sorry they had kissed, and that was still true. She couldn't regret something so perfect; the mere memory of it stretched a smile across Lily's face and sent a tingle all the way down to her very toes. No, she didn't regret, couldn't regret, the memory. And she couldn't go on denying the way she felt about James Potter anymore: she just didn't hate him, much as she might have wanted to.  
  
Okay, so the feelings were there, she'd admit that. The question was, what did she want to do about them? Just for a second, Lily entertained the idea of entering into the relationship James so obviously wanted to have with her and had to admit it was tempting. Having James Potter as a boyfriend would never be boring, that much was for sure. He was charming, interesting, and intelligent, went out of his way to make her laugh, and possessed a very, er, vivid sense of humour. Not to mention the fireworks she had seen when they'd kissed and the tingles that had ran down her spine when he'd touched her face.  
  
Appealing as all this was, Lily had to consider whether or not she was equipped to deal with James Potter and the endless roller coaster ride a relationship with him would inevitably be? There were still certain elements of his personality that she abhorred, and he was still capable of making her more angry than any other living human being she had encountered. A relationship with him would never be easy or simple.  
  
And this was assuming that James even wanted a relationship with her. It was entirely possible that last night a kiss had just been a kiss to him. She'd said often enough herself that James Potter only wanted her because she didn't want him. What if she had been right? What if James had just wanted what he couldn't have now that he knew he could have it he had lost interest? She refused to be just another notch on his bedpost, another easy conquest anecdote for James to tell to his mates.  
  
Lily sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly. Whenever she had imagined someone she could have a serious relationship with, she'd never pictured James Potter, or even anyone remotely like him. He was just beyond her realm of possibility.  
  
Just then she heard a familiar voice in the corridor. James was coming for their "study session" after all. And suddenly she realized that she had been terrified that he wouldn't come and terrified that he would. Now that he was here she really couldn't say which fear was stronger.  
  
Lily sat frozen in her chair for a few seconds before the idea really registered in her mind. Then it finally hit her. James Potter was right outside, on his way to meet her! Studying be damned, this was for all intensive purposes, and Lily suddenly knew which fear had won out. So she did the only thing any rational person would do. She stuffed everything haphazardly into her bag and dove under the table.  
  
* * *  
  
James stood in the doorway of the library, scanning the room for Lily and earning himself a preemptive glare from Madam Pince. Where was she?  
  
As a second icy glare came his way, James moved away from the door, deciding to look for Lily elsewhere, telling himself not to read so much into this. It wasn't as though this had been an actual date with a prearranged time and place to meet. Lily had only said she might be in the library after all.  
  
Things had seemed to be going so well last night, James mused as he searched the library. She wasn't here. And some part of James was the tiniest bit relieved about that. He really didn't want to screw this up, he wanted to ask her out properly and hear her say yes and for both of them to know it was a date without any of these confusing "maybes."  
  
Deciding that as long as he was here he might as well pick up a few books he needed for his homework, James discontinued his search and made for the Potions section near the back.  
  
* * *  
  
Under her table, Lily breathed a sigh of relief as she watched James move toward the back of the library. As long as she stayed low, she'd be able to make it to the exit without him seeing her.  
  
Even though Lily had been telling herself that she'd only done what anyone would do if faced with this situation, she couldn't help but feel a bit ridiculous and distinctly relieved that no one was in this particular section of the library on a Saturday morning to witness the Head Girl's spectacular nosedive under the table.  
  
Gathering her wits about her and summoning her courage, Lily peered out from under the table. Good. James was still nowhere to be seen. Quickly, Lily darted out from under her table into a row of bookshelves. Cautiously, Lily peeked between the books and saw James some distance away, picking out some books in the Potions section.  
  
Crouching low, Lily made a break for the library doors, silently praying that no one she knew, especially James, could see to what ridiculous levels this crush had brought her.  
  
* * *  
  
Since his unpleasant exchange of words with Bellatrix and her revelations about her new status and plans for the House, Snape had been distinctly uneasy. Bellatrix was dangerous, and the only person Snape had ever known to have some sort of calming influence on her was no longer at Hogwarts. After two sleepless nights, Snape realized that there was no avoiding it: he would have to swallow his pride and distaste and write to Lestrange about the situation.  
  
The relationship between their select few had been a bit strained since Bellatrix's new bid for power; nearly all of them, to Snape's irritation, were aware of what had happened between him and Bellatrix that night. Whether they had guessed, Bellatrix had told them, or they had discovered through some other means, Snape did not know.  
  
And Bellatrix herself had been behaving unusually. She was highly secretive, more so than usual, and was spending a good bit of time off by herself. Snape had a strong suspicion that this supposed Death Eater attack in Hogsmeade wasn't the only trick Bellatrix had up her sleeve and that this other scheme, what ever it was, was very likely within Hogwarts, perhaps within Slytherin House itself.  
  
Snape, being a firm believer in confronting undesirable tasks head on, sealed himself in his favorite study room immediately after breakfast and began the arduous chore of writing to Rodolphus Lestrange. He was so absorbed in this delicate chore that he didn't realize someone else had entered the room until they were almost upon him. Snape had just enough time to stuff away the letter before looking up to meet the intruder.  
  
Not surprisingly, it was Bellatrix, wearing the gloating, self- satisfied expression she was rarely seen without these days. His defenses on full alert, Snape decided to let her make the first move.  
  
"Hello Severus," Bellatrix purred, her eyes predatory. "Working hard are you, pet?"  
  
"Not particularly," Snape returned stiffly. Would she never cut to the chase, this girl?  
  
"Have a moment for your sweet Bellatrix?" she asked, picking up Snape's quill from the desk and twirling it idly between her fingers. Snape, refusing to dignify this behavior with words, simply gave a curt nod.  
  
"I've come here to offer you some friendly advice in the hopes that you'll do me a friendly favor," Bellatrix went on, her expression coy. "You remember when I told you about the little adventure I was helping to plan in Hogsmeade, don't you?" Maddeningly Bellatrix waited for Snape to answer her before continuing.  
  
"Yes," Snape finally snapped, exasperated.  
  
Bellatrix smiled smugly, victorious. "I've come to ask you to reconsider. I want you to be there with us, Severus," Bellatrix circled the desk again, coming behind Snape's chair. "You are a dull one, darling, but you're so terribly clever and such a pet of our dear leader's. You will do me this favor, won't you, from one friend to another?" Bellatrix's hand had come to rest lightly on Severus' shoulder.  
  
Snape shrugged it off. "I believe I gave you my answer last time we spoke of this little matter, Bellatrix," he enunciated crisply, impatiently.  
  
"But Severus," Bellatrix's eyes were wide with an expression akin to innocence, or her best imitation of it anyway. "I really was depending on you. You wouldn't want to disappoint a friend, now would you, pet?" She moved closer still to Snape; he felt her breath in his ear. "Just one little friendly favor for a friend who's willing to do you a few little friendly favors in return...." Bellatrix's voice had died to a murmur, her hand once again resting, and more suggestively this time, on Snape's shoulder.  
  
Snape shot out of his seat. "I'm afraid you and I have nothing to discuss, Bellatrix," he snapped, mouth compressed in fury. Now if you would be so kind as to leave me. I have a great deal of work to do."  
  
An ugly expression crossed Bellatrix's face at Snape's reaction, one part pouting child, one part thwarted insanity. "Yes, Severus," she hissed. "I see now how wrong I was to come here."  
  
Then as quickly as it had appeared, Bellatrix's fury over her rejection was gone and had been replaced with a look of extreme confidence that Snape found even more chilling than Bellatrix's spiteful fury.  
  
"Don't worry your dear little head about any of this," Bellatrix cooed, the confidence still gleaming in her eyes. "But do remember, pet, that I meant what I said about changes. Just don't say I didn't warn you." With that, Bellatrix swept from the room.  
  
Snape, feeling faintly sick over what had just transpired, fumbled for the letter I he had stuffed in the desk, his expression mirroring his inner disgust. That expression on Bellatrix's face...... It had gone beyond confidence really. Hubris might be a better word for it. He had no idea what Bellatrix knew to warrant such an expression, but it did not bode well for him or for the Dark Lord's cause.  
  
Filled with a new urgency, Snape raised his quill and began writing furiously.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily was slightly late for patrol that night; she'd been dreading facing James all day and when it came time to do it, she'd had great difficulty persuading herself to go.  
  
Clearly she wasn't ready for this thing, not if she was hiding form James under tables, and she had to tell him that tonight. James deserved better than someone who hid from him under tables anyway, and she wasn't cut out to be the girl who could give him something better. All things considered, it actually felt good to have made a decision about the whole thing.  
  
But as soon as she saw James standing outside the portrait waiting for her, looking so fantastic and seeming so happy to see her, all of Lily's confusion came rushing back, and before she knew what she was doing, she was smiling back at him, feeling that still-new thrill run through her body and settle in the pit of her stomach.  
  
James had been so fantastically relieved that Lily had showed up for the patrol and hadn't avoided him that he broke into a huge grin at the sight of her. His stomach performed its routine flip-flop, just a bit stronger than usual, when she smiled back.  
  
As James and Lily patrolled, they covered a range of topics from Gryffindor's chances in the match against Ravenclaw next Saturday to the uselessness of Divination, their conversation a bit more stilted than usual and both of them well aware of the reason.  
  
They were more than halfway through the patrol before James came to the point on both of their minds.  
  
"Thought you were going to be in the library after breakfast today," James said casually, careful not to meet Lily's eyes.  
  
"I was," Lily began, unsure of what to say. "But I went there during breakfast instead and went back to my room."  
  
"Oh. Right." James paused, then burst out: "Any particular reason you decided to go back to your room?"  
  
"There was this problem that I couldn't figure out and I decided the library wasn't the best place to solve it in," Lily answered truthfully.  
  
"Well, let me know if you need any help with it," James offered, relieved. His tone, Lily noticed, was much less arrogant than it used to be when he offered to help someone. He sounded as though he genuinely meant it and wasn't just asking to show off.  
  
Lily's eyes suddenly filled with tears. "Yeah," she managed, hoping she sounded nonchalant and not at all like she was crying and on the verge of an emotional meltdown brought on by severe confusion. "I'll let you know."  
  
The pair continued in silence for a bit, but the conversation picked up again and eventually Lily and James found themselves in a heated debate over their Transfiguration homework, of all things.  
  
"It's compare Transfiguring a balaclava to a bucket and a curtain to a cauldron," Lily insisted for the fourth time in the last five minutes of their increasingly heated discussion. "Think about it, it makes sense!"  
  
"She said 'baklava to a bucket,'" James insisted stubbornly. "I heard her!"  
  
"WHY would anyone Transfigure a pastry into a bucket?" Lily demanded, frustrated. "And the second thing we're supposed to compare is a curtain to a cauldron, both start out as fabric and become a container!"  
  
"I think I of all people know what McGonagall said," James persisted arrogantly, his tone implying that Lily shouldn't dare to contradict someone of his Transfiguring talents. Then, to add insult to injury, he ran his hand through his hair again.  
  
"I don't care what you think you heard!" Lily exploded, red-faced and trembling with rage. "It is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS TO TRANSFIGURE A BAKLAVA INTO A BUCKET!" Lily took a deep breath, seriously contemplating kicking James Potter in the shin, or maybe somewhere else that was a lot more sensitive.  
  
Afterwards Lily never could figure out what had happened, one second she was standing there thinking about where she should kick James Potter and the next thing she knew she was kissing him. How had this happened to her? Again?  
  
Regardless of how it had happened, it was just as perfect as she remembered it, except this time she recovered from her shock a bit sooner and was able to concentrate a bit more on the kiss.  
  
They were both so engrossed, as a matter of fact, that they didn't notice they had an audience until a familiar voice, the last one either of them wanted to hear, came crashing into their eardrums.  
  
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN IS GOING ON HERE?"  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Thank you SO much for the reviews, everyone! I'm really happy to know that you liked the last chapter and are enjoying my story. I had a list of people I wanted to thank by name, but it was really long and I know everyone would rather read the story than a humungously long author's note (although this one is rather lengthy anyway), so I'll try to keep it short. New reviewers, I want you to know how much I appreciate you taking the time to review my story and tell me what you thought of it and what parts you enjoyed or didn't like. And, as always, thanks to all of my regular/more-than-one-time reviewers. You know who you are and how grateful I am. :-)  
  
Just a quick note on some of the questions people asked me: Bellatrix is still at Hogwarts because she's in the same year as the Marauders and Lily (they had Potions together). It was Lestrange who was in seventh year last year. And, as Raye Musgrave pointed out, Lucius' age is given as 41 in OOTP, making him six years older than the Marauders and Lily. Sorry for the mistake. Also, for those of you who asked about the rat behind the statue, all I'll say is you're very perceptive.  
  
Sorry for the cliffhanger, but it's only a little one. Next chapter should be up on Saturday. In the meantime, don't forget to review! 


	22. Taking the Vulture by the Wings

Chapter 21 Taking the Vulture by the Wings  
  
Lily and James jumped apart with a speed that would have been remarkable if they had stopped to think about it, guilty, embarrassed expressions on both of their faces. In front of them stood Professor McGonagall, hands on hips, one foot tapping impatiently.  
  
"Professor! It's excellent that you're here!" James had no idea what was coming out of his mouth. "Perhaps you can settle a little disagreement Miss Evans and I were having. For that essay you assigned us, did you say compare Transfiguring a BALACLAVA to a bucket or a BAKLAVA - " James broke off at the murderous glare Professor McGonagall shot his way.  
  
"Do not try my patience further, Potter. I'm waiting to hear your explanation."  
  
"We - we - were just - "  
  
"Just WHAT, Mr. Potter?" McGonagall demanded, hands on hips. "You were just looking for rule-breakers behind Miss Evans' tonsils?"  
  
Both students blushed furiously at that remark. But Professor McGonagall had not paused and was now delivering a blistering lecture, elaborating extensively on the ways, reasons, and extent to which they had disappointed her.  
  
Finally, she assigned them each detentions - "SEPARATE detentions!" - and sent them off to Gryffindor Tower; she had lectured them through the rest of their patrol.  
  
"I hope I have managed to impress upon you how very disappointing I find your behavior," McGonagall finished up. "As Head students, it is your responsibility to set a good example for the rest of the school and, most importantly, not to abuse your privileges."  
  
"Uh, Professor?" James, who had been silent throughout the lecture, spoke up.  
  
"What is it, Potter?" McGonagall seemed a bit suspicious and more than a bit annoyed to be interrupted in the middle of her moral treatise.  
  
"I'm not being disrespectful, really I'm not. I honestly just want to know if you said 'balaclava' or 'bak - '"  
  
"POTTER!" McGonagall's look told James it was time to beat a hasty retreat, which he and Lily did without any further ado.  
  
Lily could never remember being so embarrassed; her face had to be redder than her hair by now. Professor McGonagall, of all people, had caught them snogging. She'd probably never be able to look her in the face again.  
  
Glancing over at James, Lily saw that not only was James not as mortified as she was but he was actually grinning. Catching her gaze, James, to Lily's horror and amazement, chuckled.  
  
"What exactly, Potter, is so amusing to you? We, the Head Boy and Girl, just got caught snogging in the corridor we were supposed to be patrolling by our Head of House, also just happens to be the most uptight professor in the entire school." Lily paused for a moment, letting her words sink in, and finally chanced a glance at James, who was trying desperately not to laugh aloud.  
  
"All right, it IS a bit funny," Lily conceded grudgingly, smiling in spite of herself.  
  
"More than a bit funny," James had started to laugh.  
  
"Maybe later it'll be more than a bit funny. Right now I'm too embarrassed to fully appreciate the humor." Lily blushed a bit more, recalling what had happened.  
  
"Guess this means no more snogging on the job, then," James said after a moment.  
  
"Guess so," Lily tried to sound nonchalant. She'd just KNOWN that he wouldn't want her anymore after he knew he could have her. Somehow being right wasn't as satisfying as she'd thought it would be.  
  
James, fidgeting agitatedly while his insides churned in anticipation of his next question, finally got out: "What about off the job?"  
  
"Huh?" Lily hadn't been expecting that.  
  
"D'you want to meet me in the common room round five tomorrow? We can hang about for a bit and then go down to dinner together," James took a deep breath and looked at Lily instead of his shoes.  
  
"No," Lily said quickly. Her insides had frozen at the very thought. "I mean, that is, why don't we just meet later by that statue of Gregory the Smarmy on the fifth floor? No one'll look there."  
  
There was a deafening pause that seemed to stretch out for an indeterminable amount of time. Finally, James sighed. "Let me just make sure I have this straight. I'm good enough to snog in dark corners but when it comes to being with me in public, forget it?"  
  
"No," Lily protested, shocked. Was that really what he thought of her? "No, that isn't it at all."  
  
"Then what is it?" James ran both hands through his hair, frustrated. "Why are you so afraid to even give a relationship a try? Or is it just that you don't want one?" James held his breath, waiting.  
  
"I - I don't know what I want," Lily answered miserably. "I don't know if I'm ready for this, any of it."  
  
Look, Lily," James was more serious than she'd ever seen him. "I'm not looking for some kind of secret snogging partner I can sneak off into dark corners with. It's different with you. I want to have it all with you, and even though the very idea of not seeing you again makes me sick, I don't want anything to do with you unless you feel the same."  
  
With that, James strode off ahead, not looking back, leaving a stunned Lily in his wake.  
  
Lily stopped altogether, leaning against the wall of the corridor, tears welling up in her eyes. She'd never been more confused in her life. She'd told James that she didn't know what she wanted, and that was true. She really and truly didn't know, and he'd been right when he'd said she was scared. This whole thing was new and completely unexpected and scary as hell. Did she want to be with James Potter, to go out on dates with him and hold hands and eat dinner with him and maybe someday meet his family and have him meet hers? She stood there for quite some time, too tired and confused and preoccupied to go back to her dormitory, determinedly wiping away the tears that kept forming in her eyes.  
  
Finally Lily made her way to Gryffindor Tower. Just as she'd expected, James was nowhere to be seen in the common room, but she was disappointed anyway. Sighing, Lily climbed the stairs to her dormitory, stopping just outside to compose herself.  
  
Muffled footsteps behind her caused Lily to turn, bringing her face to face with a flushed, ever so slightly disheveled Alice.  
  
"Lily!" Alice exclaimed. "I - er - I was just coming back, lost track of the time - Why, Lily, what's wrong?"  
  
And suddenly, without intending to at all, Lily found herself blurting out the entire story to her friend. Alice listened attentively, not saying anything until Lily had finished.  
  
"Is it true, what James thinks? Do you only want a snogging partner?" Alice asked.  
  
"I don't know!" Lily exclaimed, throwing up her hands. "I don't know anything! I didn't even want to like him, let alone any of this."  
  
"I don't see why it would be such a bad thing. Fancying James Potter, I mean," Alice mused, leaning her chin on her hand. "He's handsome, brilliant, charming in his own arrogant way, a fantastic Quidditch player, and has proved himself to be a pretty decent bloke. Plus, he's been head over heels in love with you for years."  
  
"I don't know if I want a relationship with him, but I do realize all of those things," Lily rubbed her eyes tiredly.  
  
"Just take some time to think it over," Alice advised. "You don't have to make up your mind this minute."  
  
* * *  
  
As it happened, Lily did have plenty of time to think her relationship with James over during that next week because James was avoiding her. He didn't stop to talk to her after class or at meals and he'd virtually given up eye contact with her. On their nightly patrols, which both of them had used to look forward to, he said only what was necessary, which made the time pass unbelievably slowly.  
  
Lily found that she missed James a little. She missed their conversations and the way he tried to make her laugh and she definitely missed kissing him. But she didn't exactly know what to do about any of these things anyway; she was still confused and more than a little apprehensive. And she hadn't decided how far she wanted this thing with James to go.  
  
* * *  
  
James was avoiding Lily like he'd decided he needed to do, but he was also fairly certain that it was killing him.  
  
He'd never been more miserable in his life; just when he'd thought things were finally going to work out with Lily, everything came crashing down round his ears. He wanted so badly for it to happen, but if Lily didn't want it to, it couldn't. And James knew he'd never be satisfied with some sort of partners-in-snogging arrangement. Lily meant too much to him for that.  
  
Sirius, being the brilliant best friend that he was, rose to the occasion and made many admirable attempts to cheer James up. Remus and Peter pitched in as well, and the recently-dispersed Marauders came back together with a vengeance, all of them realizing how devastated James was. So the Marauders spent Sunday night barricaded in their room with a mountain of Honeyduke's candy, just like old times.  
  
Remus' relationship seemed to be going smoothly, at least; he and Kathleen had reached the stage where they referred to one another as their boyfriend or girlfriend and Remus was clearly elated about this, even though he was making an effort not to talk too much about his successful romance in James' presence.  
  
Peter remained close-mouthed about where exactly he'd been disappearing to of late; Sirius later said to James that this must mean Peter had found a girl at last and she must be dead ugly for Peter to be so quiet about it. James found that he agreed with Sirius, though not about the ugly part; Peter seemed more mature somehow, and happier; clearly his secret pleased him a great deal. But whatever it was, Peter wasn't sharing.  
  
Sirius and his harem continued very much as usual; he still could find a willing, no ecstatic, girl every time he was so inclined and seemed quite content with this arrangement. Privately he didn't envy his friends their tangled love lives and wondered why they didn't want a system like he had.  
  
The Marauders stayed up quite late, catching up with each others' lives and assessing James' situation and talking excitedly about next weekend's Quidditch match.  
  
"Y'know, Prongs," Sirius said suddenly in the middle of a discussion about the merits (or lack thereof) of the Ravenclaw Keeper, "When all of this Quidditch pressure is over, we should play a prank, the four of us. Just like old times."  
  
"Padfoot," James began, not for the first time, to remind his friend. "I told you, now that I'm Head Boy I have to be a bit more respectable. Besides, I'm already on McGonagall's shit list after this latest snogging episode."  
  
"But you'll be off of it after we win on Saturday," Sirius pointed out temptingly. "And we haven't played a single practical joke all year."  
  
"C'mon, Prongs," Peter urged. "It'll be fun."  
  
"Padfoot's right, Prongs," Remus of all people put in. "Live a bit; your Head Boyship can withstand a few pranks. I've managed to stay Prefect, after all."  
  
"If Moony's telling me to live a bit I must be really bad off," James grinned. "All right, I'm game."  
  
The rest of the Marauders' night was devoted to planning their latest practical joke, and James finally felt himself beginning to cheer up a bit.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily checked her wristwatch, grimaced, and began to walk a bit faster. She could NOT be late for Dumbledore's special meeting that she'd been excused from detention early for. Really she couldn't imagine what it would be about; they'd had the weekly Prefect meeting only the night before. Lily only hoped this meeting wouldn't be like the last one Dumbledore had attended.  
  
Reaching the anteroom, Lily slid into a chair just as the clock chimed seven. Seeing that everyone was now present, Dumbledore rose from his chair to address the room.  
  
"I know you are all busy and that even if you weren't, attending this meeting would not be your choice of activities, so I will keep this as brief as possible." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "All of the extra patrols that have been in effect are canceled, and we will begin our regular patrol schedule immediately." Cheers and applause filled the room, all of the exhausted Prefects grateful for the reprieve.  
  
"The problem that made the extra patrols necessary has been dealt with," Professor Dumbledore continued after the tumultuous response had died down. "I want to thank you all for rising so admirably to the occasion. You are all dismissed with the exception of our Head Boy and Girl, whom I wish to have a word with; I hope you will all get some much-deserved rest."  
  
The Prefects filed out of the room, still talking excitedly, and Lily and James lingered, avidly curious to hear what Dumbledore had to say.  
  
"What's happened, Professor?" Lily asked as soon as the room was empty.  
  
"I have had it from an extremely reliable source that the attack on Hogsmeade will not be taking place," Dumbledore answered mildly. "I'm afraid that the threat to Hogwarts will never be completely lifted as long as Voldemort and his supporters are at large, but it has been sufficiently lessened, shall we say."  
  
"How do you know the attack has really been stopped?" James asked, brow furrowed.  
  
"I trust my source," Dumbledore said simply. "I'm afraid that is the only answer I can give you."  
  
* * *  
  
Saturday, the day of the first Quidditch match of the season, had arrived, and apart from the reduced patrol schedule, not much had changed since the previous weekend. James continued to avoid Lily, Lily continued to be confused about James, Remus and Kathleen continued to get on, and Frank and Alice continued to be almost nauseating in their affection, or nauseating to Lily, at any rate.  
  
Frank and Alice actually weren't nauseating at all as a rule; Lily just found herself lately to be irrationally irritated with any happy couple, and Frank and Alice were the poster children of happy couplehood. Privately Lily was glad that Frank had taken over the Keeper's position on the Gryffindor team this year; it meant she wouldn't have to watch him and Alice together at today's game.  
  
Lily had been watching James clandestinely out of the corner of her eye all throughout breakfast. He had that intense look of concentration he always wore before a Quidditch match but underneath it all he seemed as thoroughly unhappy as she was. Lily sighed, wondering how she could fix this mess she had made.  
  
* * *  
  
The habits of six years of adoration die hard; much as James wished otherwise, he couldn't help but glance occasionally at Lily. She looked almost as unhappy as he felt, and James' stomach lurched. He wanted to go to her and make this whole thing easier, but he knew that she had to make the first move, that she had to want this as much as he did. But the suspense was keeping him up at night and twisting him into knots.  
  
As James rose from the table, his eyes met Lily's for the barest instant, bringing the flip-flop to his stomach that was actually a bit painful this time. James tore his eyes away and, sighing, set out for a Quidditch match with less enthusiasm than he had in his entire life.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily, sitting with Alice, Morwenna, Kathleen, Remus, and Peter, spent nearly the entire Quidditch match watching James instead of the Quidditch. But she noticed that he didn't glance over at her as he often did, not even once. Why did James' silent treatment upset her so much, Lily wondered. No, she amended, she'd been upset long before the silent treatment started. James Potter had been causing her anxiety since she was eleven years old.  
  
"Excellent move there by Gryffindor Beater Black," Ludo Bagman commented as Sirius diverted a Bludger toward a Ravenclaw Chaser attempting to score. "Gryffindor is once again in possession of the Quaffle."  
  
Lily applauded along with the rest of the Gryfifndor supports, albeit much less enthusiastically. However, when Lily remained passive after two Gryffindor goals, Dorcas' close encounter with a Bludger, and a failed attempt to capture the Snitch, Alice decided it was time to speak up.  
  
"You know Lils," Alice leaned over to whisper to Lily after the third Gryffindor goal she had all but ignored, "if you're waiting to not be scared before entering a relationship, you'll be waiting forever. Relationships are scary things no matter who they're with. You just have to decide if the good things about the other person outweigh the fear and if you decide they do, that getting to know them is more important to you than being afraid, then you just have to face your fear and take the dragon by the tail because that fear isn't going to go away."  
  
"You mean your fear of having a relationship with Frank hasn't gone away after all this time?" Lily asked, shocked.  
  
"Oh, it has," Alice reassured her. "But the old fears have just been replaced with new ones. Take my fear of Frank's mother, for example."  
  
"Well, she IS a bit scary," Lily admitted.  
  
"Frank says she only seems that way at first, that she's actually very nice underneath it," Alice seemed doubtful.  
  
"Mrs. Longbottom is definitely intimidating, but are you sure it's Frank's mum that scares you and not what meeting her represents?" Lily asked knowingly. "After all, meeting the other person's family does usually mean things are rather serious."  
  
"No, Frank's mum definitely scares me, but you may be right about my being scared of getting too serious," Alice admitted. "In some ways I feel as though I'm not ready to be so serious."  
  
"Maybe we both ought to take your advice," Lily suggested lightly. "Just decide whether or not it's worth it and then take the vulture by the wings, so to speak."  
  
"Yeah," Alice agreed thoughtfully.  
  
Although it was a very exciting match and Gryffindor played as excellently as usual, both Lily and Alice were silent for most of the rest of the game.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily continued to watch James, fighting an inner battle with herself, which she seemed to do fairly often lately. Would a relationship with him be worth all of the craziness and frustration, and most of all, would it be worth conquering the cold fear in the pit of her stomach for?  
  
She fancied him, loved kissing him, enjoyed spending time with him as a person. She wanted to be with him, she might as well admit it to herself if not anyone else. But were all of these things important enough to her to face her fears and take her own personal vulture by the wings? And if she did decide to, would she have the guts to go through with it?  
  
Then a funny thing happened.  
  
As she watched James play, Lily began to remember all of the things she liked about James and all of the things she didn't, small, insignificant details or otherwise, like his bravery and honesty and unexpected kindness, the way he was so considerate of her always and kissed her like there was no one else in the world he'd rather be kissing. And then Lily knew that she wanted to find out everything else there was to know about James Potter. She'd like some of those things and would dislike others, but she wanted to know what those things were. She wanted to know James.  
  
Lily was shaken out of her reverie when she noticed everyone else was standing. "What happened?" she called up to Alice.  
  
"We won the game," Alice said distractedly, clapping along absentmindedly. She hesitated for a moment, then said: "I think I'm going to go and find Frank. I have to tell him that I want to meet his mum at Christmas." Alice suddenly smiled, giddy with relief.  
  
"You look like there's someone you want to go and find as well," Alice teased.  
  
"Yeah," Lily answered, feeling a smile spread across her face. "Yeah there is, actually."  
  
"Well good luck," Alice squeezed her friend's hand. "I'll see you later, shall I?"  
  
"Definitely," Lily squeezed Alice's hand back. "Good luck to you too." Lily watched Alice disappear into the crowd before setting off herself.  
  
It was time to take her own vulture by the wings.  
  
* * *  
  
James stood on the pitch surrounded by his exuberant teammates and a crowd of well-wishers who had begun to trickle onto the field. He felt much less joyous than he generally did after winning a match, accepting congratulations almost automatically.  
  
Feeling an elbow in his ribs, James glanced round at Sirius, who nodded toward the crowd streaming from the stands. And James saw Lily, coming toward him with a determined expression on her face. James sighed, bracing himself for the confrontation.  
  
Suddenly, unexpectedly, Lily's face broke into a dazzling smile as she caught sight of him, moving ever closer. James, undone as always by Lily's smile, couldn't help but grin in return, his eyes locked with hers.  
  
Then Lily was in front of him, and without any further warning, she wrapped her arms round his neck and began kissing him, right there on the Quidditch pitch, in front of everybody.  
  
Around him, James was vaguely aware that his teammates, led by Sirius, were clapping and cheering, but he was too surprised by this unexpected turn of events to do anything more than wrap his arms round Lily and kiss her back like she was kissing him, like nothing else mattered.  
  
After a couple of minutes, Lily and James finally moved apart, both grinning widely. "Is this your way of telling me that you've changed your mind about us?" James asked, his heart in his throat.  
  
"That's exactly what I'm telling you," Lily answered, smiling that breathtaking smile again. "But, is this still what you want?"  
  
"I've been waiting for this since the first time I saw you," James replied softly, meaning it.  
  
Hand in hand, Lily and James made their way across the Quidditch pitch to the castle. This wasn't so very horrible really, Lily reflected. Sure, it was still a bit frightening, more than a bit actually, but Alice had been right; the good things were more important than the fear.  
  
She just hoped she was ready for this.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Here's the new chapter as promised. Yay for the 300 review mark! Special thanks go out to sweetkatt, Bella Lestrange, Willow23, snickerdoodle, TheSecretCharacter, danielle, Leiliana, fyresdestiny, Ronald's Girl, Sirius-Ella, a person (please don't slam your ears in an oven!), LavenderBrown, witch@heart, lilynjamesAAF, blazed sorceress, surrounded by fog, and Xaviera. More to come on the Hogsmeade attacks, Marauders' pranks, and of course, more Lily and James. And in answer to the question from witch@heart, I'm not sure how far this story will go. If people are willing to read and review I'll keep writing; would people be interested in reading this story all the way to Lily and James' deaths?  
  
Thank you to everyone for reviewing! 


	23. Milestones Part I

Chapter 22 Milestones  
  
James led Lily back to the castle, slightly bemused by his own good fortune and completely unable to keep the blissful grin from his face. He had never thought the day Lily Evans kissed him for all the world to see and changed her mind about going out with him would come. Still, he did not intend to look a gift hippogriff in the mouth, especially since he was feeling better than he could ever remember feeling in his entire life.  
  
As usual, there was a party in the Gryffindor common room after the match to celebrate the Gryffindor victory. Sirius and Peter went to the kitchens and brought back as much food and drink as they could carry, and the Gryffindors settled in to party until Professor McGonagall broke it up.  
  
James and Lily spent most of the party together, sitting on one of the overstuffed sofas in the common room. Mostly they talked and laughed with each other and the various friends who came and went, leaving the snogging displays to Frank and Alice, who seemed, judging by the ardor of their snogging, to be inordinately pleased with each other.  
  
James couldn't fathom what had happened between breakfast, when Frank had been a bit annoyed with Alice, and now, when they were all over each other. He reckoned that Alice, like loads of girls James had encountered over the years, was really turned on by Quidditch players.  
  
Lily seemed to know something about it; when the couple came up for air long enough to get some pumpkin juice, Lily called out to Alice: "Finally caught that vulture, did you?" Alice just grinned in response and hurried off after Frank. Even when he asked her, Lily wouldn't tell James what that comment had meant.  
  
Many of those who had seen Lily kiss James on the pitch stopped by to rib them both and made sure that everyone in the common room was aware of what had happened.  
  
The worst of the teasing came from Sirius and Morwenna. Sirius, as the primary witness and best friend of one of the involved parties, was in rare form, entertaining the common room with spirited imitations of the pair until Lily hexed him with a well-placed Jelly Legs Jinx and refused to remove it until he promised to behave. James could see that despite all of the ribbing that his best friend was actually extremely happy for him, but even he became annoyed by Sirius' antics eventually and threatened to hex his ears off while Lily had him under the influence of the Jelly Legs.  
  
Morwenna had not witnessed the actual kiss but had heard about it from various sources and came to see for herself if it was true. When she saw Lily and James sitting on the couch, hands clasped, she emitted a shriek and immediately hugged them both. She was a bit smug over the whole thing really, absolutely delighted to have been right about the pair of them, as she pointed out more than once. Lily was seriously considering trying her hand at the Jelly Legs Jinx again.  
  
Apart from the incidents with Morwenna and Sirius, Lily felt that she was actually handling this relationship business quite well. She had been immensely relieved that James hadn't wanted to put on a snogging display for all the common room to see and seemed content to hold her hand while they talked and laughed together and with other people. More than content actually; he had an almost comical expression of bliss on his face.  
  
The moment that Lily had been most proud of had been when Dorcas had caught up with her and James shortly after the match. As she played for the team, Dorcas had quite naturally been on the pitch at the time and had witnessed the kiss and she had come to ask them, meaning Lily, what they were about.  
  
And Lily had taken a deep breath, squeezed James' hand a bit more tightly, and had uttered the sentence she had never thought to say in her whole life: "James and I are seeing each other."  
  
Once she'd said it out loud, it was actually a relief to have it out in the open. Of course, this made the whole thing a bit more real, which was frightening, but it was less frightening than she'd thought it'd be, which probably had a great deal to do with James' hand holding hers. Lily had actually been lightheaded with the tangle of emotions that crossed her consciousness at that point: fear, relief, pride, happiness, and embarrassment. It was a heady experience.  
  
The party raged on for the better part of the night till McGonagall, in her tartan bathrobe and hairnet as was traditional when breaking up parties, came in at quarter to one and ordered them all to bed.  
  
Both feeling highly self conscious, James and Lily said a rather hasty good night accompanied by a brief kiss before climbing their respective staircases a bit after everyone else, except for Frank and Alice, of course.  
  
Exhausted, Lily climbed the stairs with Alice, looking forward to some much-anticipated sleep. As soon as they opened the door, however, Lily could see that it would be quite some time before she got any sleep. Each and every one of her roommates were sitting on their beds, facing the door expectantly, waiting to hear the details.  
  
* * *  
  
Eight o'clock Sunday morning found most Hogwarts students still abed but it found Severus Snape sitting in his usual study room. However, Snape was not at work as diligently as he customarily was. Snape was sondering if he had done the right thing.  
  
He had received a reply to his letter from Rodolphus Lestrange on Wednesday, informing him that Lestrange had spoken to Bellatrix and that there would be no attack on Hogsmeade at this time or in the immediate future. Lestrange had closed by congratulating Snape on avoiding this potentially disastrous situation that could have exposed and drastically harmed their cause. He also had hinted to Snape that he was becoming highly thought of in the right circles and had requested that he keep an eye on Bellatrix and ensure that her "enthusiasm" didn't get out of hand.  
  
Enthusiasm indeed, Snape snorted to himself. Derangement was more like it. Bellatrix had no concept of good judgement, was incapable of weighing consequences.  
  
Snape had debated about it for a good while, but in the end he had gone to see Dumbledore on Thursday morning immediately after classes. These additional patrols were bothersome to Snape as a Prefect, but more than that they were uncomfortable for the Slytherins in general. It was best for them to keep out of the spotlight because of the clandestine activities many of them engaged in in Voldemort's service, and a great many fingers had been pointed at them because of the new patrols.  
  
Dumbledore had taken the news Snape had brought him as he took everything: very calmly, inscrutably, and intelligently. Snape admired these traits in Dumbledore highly; he himself wished he had such mastery of his expressions.  
  
Quickly and with as few specifics as possible, Snape had informed Dumbledore that he had heard from a highly reliable source that no attacks on Hogsmeade would be taking place. Finishing his story, Snape had stood to go.  
  
"Severus." Snape finally met that wise, piercing gaze.  
  
"The safety of the entire school depends on my ability to make decisions," Dumbledore had told him gravely. "Keeping that in mind, can you tell me with certainty that it is safe to relax the extra security and reinstate the Hogsmeade weekends?"  
  
Snape had tried to look away, but he was practically hypnotized by those knowing blue eyes. "Yes," he replied simply. "My source is excellent, I can assure you."  
  
Dumbledore had studied Snape for another long minute, Snape growing increasingly ill at ease.  
  
"I believe you, Severus," Dumbledore said finally, blue eyes twinkling. "And I trust your judgement. I will call a Prefects' meeting after dinner to announce that there won't be any more extra patrols."  
  
Snape had nodded curtly and turned to go.  
  
"Severus?" Dumbledore's voice rang out. Snape turned.  
  
"I hope you know," Dumbledore began slowly, "that you can always trust me to help you." Confused, Snape had nodded again, more slowly this time, wondering just how much Dumbledore knew. Then he had turned and hurried from the room.  
  
* * *  
  
Recalling this now, days later, Snape was still highly uncomfortable. He'd never know how much Dumbledore knew, and that was disconcerting What did he know about Snape, about Lestrange and Bellatrix and Avery, Rosier, Wilkes, and the others, about the Dark Lord himself?  
  
And Bellatrix, there was another mystery. Snape was actually quite surprised that he hadn't heard from her by now. He would eventually though, he was certain. Trying to put these thoughts from his head, Snape went back to his potion.  
  
Less than an hour later, the study room door crashed open and Bellatrix glided smoothly into the room. Irritated that he'd have to find yet another locking charm, Snape sighed and attempted to regain some composure, studying Bellatrix. He had expected her to be furious about the whole episode but instead she seemed rather amused. However, Snape had seen that gleam in her eye before, and it was a gleam that immediately put him on his guard.  
  
"So," Bellatrix finally began,"you've ratted me out, have you? I suppose you're quite pleased with yourself, you think you've won our little contest?"  
  
Snape merely quirked a brow at her condescendingly, finding her melodrama to be ridiculous. Bellatrix laughed, a sound like nails on a chalkboard.  
  
"I admit it, you know. You have won, and a very well played round it was. You knew all too well that I'd never go against Rodolphus, so you played that card. Clever Severus. Well done. Just don't think you've won the game because of one lucky hand. I have cards you haven't even seen yet."  
  
"Enough, Bellatrix," Snape could only take so much. "You're a reckless fool who should be thanking me. You and your ridiculous machinations nearly ruined everything for all of us. Do you really think any of us would be allowed to remain here if the school governors thought we were Death Eaters? You nearly exposed us all and could have severely damaged our operation and completely compromised our secret!" He was shouting by the end, he was so incensed.  
  
"You're the one who should be quiet, pet, and not speak of things you don't understand," Bellatrix spat. "You think you're in charge but you're wrong. I'm Marked, the same as you are, and I have just as much authority. And there are some of us who feel that the time is right for a change, for new leadership." Bellatrix paused, letting that statement sink in. "Oh, I'll leave dear Hogwarts and Hogsmeade out of it now, I can see your point and I won't defy those who matter to me. But I refuse to allow you to dictate to me outside of it." Bellatrix's eyes narrowed menacingly; clearly she meant every word.  
  
Snape didn't say a word, he merely held the door open, indicating it with a mockingly eloquent sweep of his hand. Still glowering, Bellatrix made for the exit with no argument, but as she passed Snape she pressed a kiss to his cheek, her eyes momentarily softened, before sweeping out.  
  
Snape closed his eyes for a long moment. Thoroughly deranged, foolhardy, and an ever-present threat Bellatrix may be, but she was also intensely loyal toa few things. Surprisingly enough, he seemed to be one of them.  
  
* * *  
  
James sat at one long end of the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall on Sunday morning, carefully saving the place next to him. As it grew later and later, the more nervous he became. He knew what he hoped Lily would do when she came down to breakfast, but he didn't know if she would indeed do it, if she would come and sit with him and have a conversation with him like a real couple, like Remus and Kathleen were doing across the table from him at that very moment.  
  
Deep down, James was desperately afraid that Lily would wake up this morning and realize that she had made a terrible mistake, that she did not actually want to date James Potter and would start going out with someone really fabulous, like a professional Quidditch player or famous singer.  
  
On his left, Sirius glanced over at his best mate and gave him a reassuring smile. James tried to smile back but failed miserably. Realizing he could not help his friend, Sirius returned to the discussion he had been having with Peter about the Appleby Arrows' newest Beater.  
  
James caught a glimpse of red out of the corner of his eye and turned his head fast enough to see stars and introduce the possibility of whiplash. Lily had finally come down to breakfast, looking perfectly normal and hopefully not like she was about to announce her engagement to a world-renowned Auror.  
  
Catching James' eye, Lily smiled, albeit rather shyly, and made her way over to the end of the table where he was sitting. "Morning," she greeted as she slid onto the bench next to him.  
  
"Morning," James managed, giddy with relief and his residual whiplash. "Bit of a late start this morning, isn't it?"  
  
"I'm desperately flattered that you noticed," Lily returned dryly. "Did you miss me or something?"  
  
"No," James sputtered, attempting to pull it off. "Why would I miss someone I saw only nine hours ago? I just thought I'd - "  
  
"Shut it, James," Lily said flirtatiously, smiling at him as she reached for the toast.  
  
She'd called him James. Not Potter, not git or toerag, or anything else. James let the realization sink in. Naturally he knew that if you were going out with someone, you didn't call them by their last name, but knowing this and actually hearing it were two different things.  
  
And for the first time in his life, James allowed himself to believe that maybe Lily Evans did want to be with him.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long to update, I had technical problems and have been very busy lately. To make up for it, I'm posting another new chapter this weekend. Thank you to all of my reviewers and special thanks to Sirius-Ella, (I'm seriously considering the suggestion) Marauder by Moonlight, Moonz, Four Stars, witch @ heart, blazedsorceress, Senna2, Raye Musgrave, BiNka, Ronald's Girl, lilynjamesAAF, small obsession, Queen Cari, cricketlover, Diana, and met19.  
  
Like I said, another new chapter will be up this weekend, most likely Saturday. Until then, read and review! 


	24. Milestones Part II

Chapter 23 Milestones Part II  
  
One Week  
  
The following Saturday evening, Lily found herself on the early patrol shift. As it was the early shift and not yet after hours, there was relatively little to do, which gave Lily plenty of time for self- reflection.  
  
It seemed absolutely incredible that she should have been "going out," as it were, with James Potter for an entire week. Not that the time she spent with him hadn't been enjoyable, it definitely had. He still tried to make her laugh almost constantly, she was still annoyed by the way he mussed his hair, and they had spent this past week talking about every subject under the sun and arguing over at least half of them.  
  
Lily was having a great time with James, she admitted it, but she was also finding that Alice had been right, the fear didn't go away. The truth was she just didn't understand what James found so special in what she perceived as her commonplace appearance and personality. Deep down, Lily was afraid that he'd wake up one morning, probably tomorrow morning, and realize that Lily wasn't so fabulous after all. Or worse yet, he'd lose interest in her now that the pursuit was over and bugger off. Or who knew, maybe James wasn't as interested in a relationship with her as he seemed to be. After all, James hadn't ever been in a relationship of any length or with any degree of seriousness to it until now.  
  
And was a long-term relationship with James Potter what Lily wanted anyway? Sure, she fancied him desperately, found him funny and charming despite the arrogance, admired his loyalty and courage and ability to do the right thing. He still exasperated her and drove her mad at times, but anytime they fought, making up almost made the argument worth it.  
  
Lily was shaken from her reverie by the sound of footsteps in the corridor. It still wasn't after hours and was perfectly acceptable for students to be in the corridors, so Lily was unconcerned. She turned with a reassuring smile on her face that died on her lips when she saw who the person in the corridor was. Bellatrix Black.  
  
Bellatrix's smile, on the other hand, widened and took on a catty expression. "If it isn't our sainted Head Girl in the flesh," Bellatrix mocked. "All alone at last, eh ickle Mudblood?"  
  
"Bugger off, Black," Lily ground out, nervous in spite of herself and determined not to show it. "Don't you have a devil to worship?"  
  
"Tsk, tsk, Evans. You shouldn't mock things you don't understand," Bellatrix's voice held the thinnest veneer of her previous mocking confidence; she was definitely angry. "It's unwise, especially for one in your precarious position."  
  
"'Precarious?' Goodness, has someone been brushing up on their vocabulary?" Lily was pleased at the cool condescension in her tone; where had that come from? "I must say, it's a big improvement over the shrieking and baby talk."  
  
"Clearly you haven't learned your place yet, Mudblood, even after that little lesson I tried to teach you last year," Bellatrix hissed. Her composure was hanging by a thread, every word an effort. "We never did finish that lesson, did we pet?"  
  
"You wouldn't dare," Lily replied coolly, her chin held high. "You've already been put on probation once for attacking students, you'd be tossed out of here on your ear, especially in light of the recent scare over an attack on Hogsmeade. Surely you can't believe that Dumbledore and the school governors don't know exactly who was behind that scheme."  
  
Bellatrix's hands were shaking with suppressed fury, her lips white with rage. "I may not be able to deal with you as your kind ought to be dealt with inside these walls, but there are other times and places, Mudblood," Bellatrix's tone was quiet, her insanity had never been more in evidence. "Your time will come, Evans. And I'll be there when it does. You may depend upon that."  
  
Lily watched Bellatrix stride down the hallways toward the staircase that led to the dungeons and finally allowed her own hands and knees to tremble. Bellatrix genuinely wanted her dead, it had been there in her eyes, her insanity disturbingly plain. And that knowledge was unsettling, despite all of Lily's determination to be unaffected.  
  
* * *  
  
That next week, whether she wanted to admit it or not, Lily did look over her shoulder a bit after Bellatrix's threat. Nothing happened, however; Lily wasn't sure if Bellatrix was just biding her time or was too intimidated by her precarious position at Hogwarts; she was still on disciplinary probation for attacking Lily and the others last year and Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Astral all kept very close eyes on her.  
  
On the brighter side, things continued to go very well with James all that next week. Though they were both insanely busy with loads of homework, Head duties, and Quidditch practice, Lily and James managed to spend a fair amount of time together, talking or studying or sneaking off into the occasional dark corner to be alone together away from the avid eyes of Gryffindor Tower and the rest of the school, all of whom seemed to be quite interested in their Head Boy and Girl's new relationship. Whether or not they were rooting for them Lily couldn't be entirely sure.  
  
Two Weeks  
  
Lily trudged down to breakfast on Saturday morning yawning widely, intensely happy that it was the weekend. In the Great Hall, she slid into a seat between James and Alice, her eyes still heavy with sleep, highly relieved that James had in fact saved her a seat and was glad to see her, a decent indication that he hadn't decided to dump her overnight. James, who always held his breath between the moment where Lily entered the Hall and sat down next to him, never entirely sure that she would, grinned widely at Lily and kissed her cheek in greeting, sliding his arm round her. Lily smiled sleepily at him in return and leaned against James, reaching up to kiss his cheek as well.  
  
James felt his stomach turn over as it always did whenever Lily was near and tried to wipe the besotted grin from his face. He really couldn't believe how smoothly things were going between them, that they were still together after one week, twenty hours, and approximately forty-seven minutes. James still felt like looking over his shoulder to see if anyone was standing behind him every time Lily smiled at him. He really, truly, desperately hoped that he wouldn't find some way to muck this up and that Lily wouldn't question too heavily what exactly she saw in him anyway. Hogsmeade was in a week, on their three-week anniversary, and James desperately wanted Lily to go with him.  
  
Alice looked round at Lily and James, smiling. "Congratulations, by the way," she murmured. Both of them looked back at her in confusion.  
  
"Congratulations for what, exactly?" Lily asked in what she hoped was a bewildered tone.  
  
"Today's your two-week anniversary, isn't it?" Alice cocked a brow.  
  
"So it is," Lily replied cautiously. She and James exchanged a glance, both trying to be nonchalant.  
  
"Try not to be too overexcited or anything," Alice snorted. Honestly, when would the pair of them stop worrying about the other one dumping them and realize that they hadn't?  
  
* * *  
  
After breakfast, Lily and James walked back to Gryffindor Tower hand in hand, a slightly awkward silence between them. "So what are you doing today?" Lily finally broke the hush.  
  
"Quidditch practice," James shrugged. "Then studying with Remus, Sirius, and Peter. What about you?"  
  
"Yes, I'm sure the four of you will be studying diligently," Lily snorted, at which James just smirked. "I've loads of homework to finish off and letters to write, and Hagrid invited me for tea."  
  
James was fidgeting nervously. "What about next weekend?" he blurted.  
  
Lily was a bit taken aback. "I dunno yet, I suppose," she replied cautiously, not daring to get her hopes up. Surely he had to know what was next weekend. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Well, er, I was wondering -" James began, his heart in his throat and completely unable to stop fidgeting, "- If you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend," he finished in a rush.  
  
Lily breathed a sigh of relief. She suddenly felt like laughing. "All right, then," she answered quickly, her smile dazzling in her contentment.  
  
"Really?" James was incredulous and equally as relieved as Lily was. "Brilliant." He grinned like an eejit as it sank in, but he didn't really care. James was so happy he could have kissed Lily and then he remembered that he could, so he did.  
  
"Of course I want to go to Hogsmeade with you," Lily teased after a bit. "Who else would I be going with, you great prat?" James shrugged, still feeling a bit dazed from Lily's answer and from kissing her, the butterflies in his stomach working overtime.  
  
"Wasn't sure if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with a great prat," he returned. "And I wasn't sure whether or not you were going with Lockhart." Lily just shook her head at him, still smiling, then kissed his cheek and leaned against him. James hugged Lily back, wondering how exactly things had managed to go so right.  
  
"I suppose I should go," James said reluctantly. "Wouldn't do to be late to the practice I called. I'll see you later, shall I?"  
  
Lily nodded. "I should go too." James kissed Lily one more time before hurrying off down the corridor.  
  
"Try not to miss me too desperately," he called back to her, his familiar arrogant smirk on his face. It somehow wasn't as unbearable as it used to be, maybe it was even the tiniest bit endearing. Lily just grinned back at him, lips still tingling, feeling happier than she had in quite some time.  
  
* * *  
  
The next week dragged by for Lily. She was enormously relieved and stupidly elated that James had asked her to go to Hogsmeade with him. In spite of everything, her fear of having her heart stamped still very much existed and popped out at her occasionally, screaming for her to put a stop to this immediately before he did.  
  
This Hogsmeade incident had effectively silenced that voice for the time being, though. James actually wanted to spend a day with her. This made her consider the possibility that maybe she wasn't just some sort of trophy to him, some sort of Dating Cup to proclaim his seducing prowess to everyone. And, most frightening of all, maybe a relationship with James Potter wasn't as impossible as she'd once believed.  
  
That week went equally as slowly for James. He had never been so excited; Lily had not only agreed to but also seemed happy about being seen in public with him. Naturally, most of the school knew by now about James and Lily's post-Quidditch kiss and had seen them about the school together. But going to Hogsmeade together was something couples did, not something you did with a snogging partner. Sure, plenty of people met in the town to snog, but they arranged it covertly, they weren't out in public together for all the world to see.....  
  
James suddenly felt an unseen force push him to the floor. Cursing, he looked up into the face of his dearest friend. "What'd you do that for?" James demanded of Sirius, feeling rather put-upon.  
  
"To snap you out of it," Sirius returned calmly, apparently unrepentant.  
  
"You didn't have to shove me," James grumbled as he made his way back to his bed.  
  
"I called your name four times," Sirius pointed out. "You need to get your head out of Lily Evans' knickers and back into practical jokes."  
  
"Now there's a case of the cauldron calling the kettle Black if I ever heard one," James mumbled under his breath. Sirius appeared to have heard him, judging from the sour look he shot in James' direction, but chose not to comment and returned his attention to Remus, who was handing out their prank-plotting assignments.  
  
* * *  
  
Three Weeks  
  
Planning their Halloween prank helped the week pass by a bit more quickly for James and before he knew it or was prepared for it, it was Saturday and he, Frank, and Remus were waiting at the bar in The Three Broomsticks for Lily, Alice, and Kathleen.  
  
"So things seem to be going well for you and Lily," Remus said suddenly. James had been too nervous to follow Remus and Frank's conversation too closely and consequently had been rather quiet.  
  
"Yeah, I s'pose they are," James attempted to match Remus' casual tone and failing miserably at preventing a manic grin from spreading across his face.  
  
"Congratulations, mate," Frank offered, smiling at James. "Lily's brilliant."  
  
"Thanks," James grinned wider, if that was even possible. "We're all three of us pretty lucky, really."  
  
"I'm loads luckier now that Alice finally said she'd meet my mum," Frank grumbled. "Bloody Mum's been breathing down my neck about it." Remus and James shuddered in sympathy at the thought of the formidable Mrs. Longbottom breathing down anyone's neck.  
  
Before they could offer their condolences, Alice, Lily, Kathleen, Dorcas, and Morwenna's arrival interrupted their conversation. The lot of them quickly ordered butterbeers and sat down to talk for a bit before going their separate ways.  
  
When everyone else had gone, Remus, Kathleen, Frank, and Alice on their respective dates and Morwenna and Dorcas to do their shopping, James, feeling slightly awkward but euphoric nonetheless, asked Lily if she wanted to go for a walk.  
  
"Sure," Lily shrugged, unable to keep the excitement out of her own voice.  
  
James and Lily wandered through Hogsmeade's streets, window shopping and greeting students in between talking. They got into only two arguments, once about if it was even possible to turn a baklava into a bucket and once about who had used to sleep more in History of Magic, Sirius or Peter.  
  
Despite the arguing, and the Peter-Sirius debate had grown quite heated, Lily couldn't remember ever having more fun on a date, or with anyone, for that matter. The more time she spent with James the more she came to realize how completely she had fallen for that cocky charm she used to despise. So many of the things that had used to infuriate her to distraction were now rather endearing, though not, she maintained firmly, his compulsive mussing of his hair. And it was amazing to be with James out in the open, a thousand times better than it would've been hiding in dark corners, she realized. It would've been a lie to say that her fears about dating James had gone away, but she would admit that she was glad she'd had the courage to try it.  
  
The day had been equally perfect for James; ever since he'd seen Hogsmeade he'd imagined walking down its streets one day with Lily Evans. It was a bit surreal, here he was actually doing it. He loved being with Lily, even arguing with her, and he sincerely hoped that she felt the same. She seemed to be enjoying herself. Personally he felt like the luckiest bloke in the world to be with Lily Evans in front of everybody.  
  
However, this was making him just a touch nervous about the Halloween prank. He really didn't know how Lily would react to it. When it came right down to it, he didn't actually know all that much about Lily yet. Would she think the practical joke was funny or would she be upset that he'd broken the rules?  
  
Part of him wanted to call the whole thing off, it wasn't worth losing Lily over, after all, but another part of him knew that he needed to know whether or not Lily could handle his sense of humor. James knew that part of him was right, but it didn't make the anticipation any easier.  
  
* * *  
  
"You're sure everything's ready, you're absolutely positive - "  
  
"Moony!" James cut his nervous mate off. "Everything is ready. It's all set up. For Merlin's sake, you didn't used to get this uptight."  
  
"Hear, hear," Sirius added his vote from across the table.  
  
"I'm just trying to make sure it all goes smoothly," Remus pleaded his case to Peter, who just shook his head.  
  
"Padfoot and Prongs are right, time to remove whatever's stuck up your arse," Peter pronounced.  
  
It was Halloween, and the Marauders were seated at the Gryfindor table, waiting for the girls to arrive and the feast to begin. The preparations for tonight's prank hadn't gone quite as smoothly as they could have, and Remus was a bit nervous about it, to say the least. James was equally as nervous, but for a different reason. Lily couldn't get angry over this prank, she just couldn't. Why, it was positively tame compared to some they'd pulled in the past. And no one would get hurt with this prank, it was more or less impossible....  
  
"Why do you look so upset?" James jumped as he heard Lily's voice behind him.  
  
"Why would I be upset?" James asked quickly.  
  
"I don't know, that's why I asked," Lily looked a bit unsure. But before James could say anything else or had to attempt to dodge any more questions, Dumbledore stood up to begin the feast.  
  
The Marauders preserved innocent faces through Dumbledore's speech; they were old pros at it, after all. As soon as Dumbledore sat down, they looked at one another expectantly. Now.  
  
Right on cue, the enormous floating jack o' lanterns floating above the house tables broke into a rather rude and smarmy Halloween song. Sirius beamed across at James, pleased with his success as a songwriter. James grinned back as the hall burst into laughter all around them.  
  
Then, without warning, the pumpkins stopped mid verse and suddenly began to float a bit faster. More than a bit, actually. Hurtle about with tremendous speed would have been a more accurate description. The laughter stopped as the students gazed transfixed up at the pumpkins, their expressions apprehensive.  
  
Then, without warning, the pumpkins began to dive bomb the students in a manner very reminiscent of Bludgers, spraying bits of pumpkin innards all over the hall.  
  
After the first few pumpkins struck, a general panic arose, panicking students running every which way. This appeared to be exactly what the pumpkins wanted, however: moving targets. They zoomed after the students singly and in packs with startling efficiency, exploding all over everything whenever they hit one.  
  
The Marauders stared round them, gawking. Then Remus, snapping out of it, whirled on Peter. "Peter! What did you do?" he exclaimed, aghast.  
  
"Me?" Peter spluttered. "But that's - I didn't - this isn't my fault!"  
  
"The hell it isn't!" James, Remus, and Sirius retorted in unison.  
  
"You were supposed to look up the spell!" James pointed out, his panic rising. This was definitely not good.  
  
"I did!" Peter defended himself. "But I'm not the one who performed it!"  
  
"We did it exactly like you told us to!" Remus ducked to avoid an oncoming pumpkin.  
  
James watched as the pumpkin struck Lily, who had gone off to rescue some terrified first years from a particularly large one,, bits of it covering her from head to toe. This REALLY wasn't good.  
  
Sirius grinned. "This is better than the singing! It's like a Quidditch match in here!" Just then a Hufflepuff ran by with his head stuck in one of the jack o' lanterns, and Remus shot Sirius a withering look.  
  
Sirius shrugged. "It isn't any worse than the game hens, at any rate."  
  
"Sirius," James began, just barely fighting off panic. "With the game hens, they did what we wanted them to. We knew how to stop them. This - " James indicated the pumpkin-spattered mayhem around them "- was completely unplanned. We don't know how to make them stop!"  
  
"Point taken," Sirius said after a moment. James looked round for Remus and found him with a pumpkin bearing down on him.  
  
"Stupefy!" James bellowed, pointing his wand at the pumpkin. On the bright side, this did stop the pumpkin from bludgeoning Remus. On the negative side, it was now coming for James.  
  
"Bloody HELL!" James exclaimed as the pumpkin collided with his side, spewing bits all over him as it exploded.  
  
* * *  
  
"This was your doing, I suppose," Lily said as she and James emerged from the Great Hall some time later, covered from head to toe in pumpkin innards.  
  
James nodded miserably, then waited for the explosion, bracing himself to be berated, screamed at, and ultimately dumped.  
  
"Y'know, " Lily said thoughtfully, "a Hurling Hex would've been a lot more effective I think."  
  
James just gawked at her, unable to believe what he was hearing. Who was this and what had she done with Prefect Evans?  
  
"What?" Lily was growing a bit uncomfortable with the staring.  
  
"I have the best girlfriend in the world," James said reverentially.  
  
Lily started. "Girlfriend? You think of me as your girlfriend?" She felt tears welling up, she was so relieved and overjoyed.  
  
"'Course I do," James grinned. "When I told you I wanted to have it all with you what did you think I meant?"  
  
Completely incapable of speech at the moment, Lily stood on tiptoe and kissed James, wrapping her arms around him. James lifted Lily off her feet, kissing her back with everything he had.  
  
"You smell like pumpkins," Lily wrinkled her nose as she pulled back a bit, but she was grinning just the same.  
  
So do you," James pointed out.  
  
"Shut it, James," Lily laughed.  
  
Hand in hand and thoroughly covered with pumpkin, Lily and James made their way back to Gryffindor Tower.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Wow, thank you so much to all of my reviewers! There were too many amazing reviews this time to thank people specifically, but you all know who you are. The next chapter should be up Thursday hopefully (contrary to popular demand, I do have a life outside of this story, I really do =) ).  
  
Again, thanks to everyone who reviewed this story, old and new. Please read and review and I'll see you on Thursday! 


	25. Harsh Realities

Chapter 24 Harsh Realities  
  
James hung about the Gryffindor common room on a Saturday morning two weeks after the infamous Halloween pumpkin debacle, waiting for Lily to come down so that they could go to breakfast together. The rest of the Marauders and most of Lily's friends had gone on ahead, but James had decided to wait for Lily, who was apparently off to a slow start this morning.  
  
The weeks following Halloween had been the best ones Lily and James had spent together since the beginning of their short relationship. Finally clear about each other's feelings, neither of them felt quite as awkward with the other as they had felt previously. Simple things like making plans or being together in front of other people were a bit easier now that neither of them was constantly worrying about being dumped.  
  
James had gone about in a constant state of euphoria since that night. Not only had he not been dumped over the jack o' lantern incident, Lily had officially become his girlfriend. Consequently she relaxed a bit more around him, allowing him to see for the first time ever a Lily Evans who neither hated him nor felt awkward round him, and James was finding that he fancied this person very much. Lily was much less uptight and rigid than he'd thought, and was unexpectedly funny. He'd always known she was brilliant, but the more time James spent with her the more he realized how genuinely kind she was as well. Most of Lily's concern for people like Snape and for first years and prank victims didn't come from some sort of obsessive penchant for following the rules, James noticed, but because she didn't want for anyone to be at a disadvantage or to be miserable. James admired this compassion a lot, he found. Never having been a person who thought much about how certain actions or comments might affect other people, Lily's sympathy was something of a revelation to him.  
  
James looked up to see Lily coming down the last step, smiling her brilliant smile at him, and of course James' insides responded with their usual gymnastics.  
  
"Thanks for waiting," Lily kissed James in greeting.  
  
"Naturally," James replied loftily, smirking winningly at her. Lily rolled her eyes, but took James' hand nonetheless and the two made their way to the Great Hall.  
  
* * *  
  
"Took the pair of you long enough," Sirius greeted Lily and James as they slid into the seats he had saved.  
  
Lily shot Sirius a sour look. Ever since James had told them about what she had said about their pumpkins, the Marauders had been ribbing Lily continually about her interest in their prank and about her knowledge of things like Hurling Hexes. So quite naturally, Sirius, who was not surprisingly the ringleader in all of the teasing, was not one of Lily's favorite people at the moment.  
  
James' lips twitched over this exchange between his best friend and girlfriend but knew better than to laugh. His mates' teasing had reminded Lily how dangerous the pumpkin incident could have been and she'd been a bit shirty with James over the whole thing. More than a bit, really, especially after learning that the joke had backfired and the pumpkins hadn't been meant to smash into people. They'd had a fairly magnificent row over the whole thing until they'd remembered that the whole thing HAD actually been rather funny and that no real harm had been done.  
  
Peter, however, sniggered in support of Sirius, happy simply because he was no longer being blamed for the whole practical joke mishap and because the teasing had been diverted from him. He'd found the right spell, after all, he'd just written down the wrong incantation, mistakenly substituting the incantation they'd wanted with the one from the facing page. The Marauders had long since forgiven him after making it perfectly clear that next time he wouldn't be trusted with such an important task and that they would never let him forget it.  
  
Before the situation could get any uglier, the Gryffindors were interrupted by the arrival of the morning post. Lily accepted three letters and her paper from her owl before offering her some bacon rinds. When the owl had flown on, contented, Lily turned her attention to the mail.  
  
One letter from her mum, no doubt detailing more Wedding of the Century plans, one from her friend Marlene McKinnon, presumably full of news about her baby and questions about Lily's new boyfriend; Lily had told Marlene about her and James' relationship in her last letter and Marlene was sure to want more details.  
  
The third letter was written in a hand Lily didn't recognize and there was no return address, just a wax seal. The seal was an intricate letter M, full of loops and flourishes. Lily had no idea who could have sent it to her.  
  
"Er - Morwenna?" James had an identical letter, Lily noticed, as did Sirius and Alice and all of the seventh year Gryffindors that she could see. "Why are your mum and dad sending me a letter?" James asked, seeming as confused as Lily was.  
  
"They're invitations," Morwenna explained, her expression full of suppressed excitement, "invitations to our New Year's party."  
  
"Really?" Alice asked keenly, opening her letter. Even Lily was a bit excited; she'd heard all about the elegant parties her parents threw from Morwenna, who, though she had gone to many of these gatherings, hadn't yet been allowed to attend a New Year's ball. The Marchbankses only allowed adults to attend that particular party.  
  
"I'm finally being allowed to go this year," Morwenna explained. "And my parents told me I could invite a few friends from my year."  
  
"Wow," Dorcas skimmed her invitation. "This sounds amazing."  
  
James scanned his own invitation. It DID sound amazing. His parents, being close friends of Mr. and Mrs. Marchbanks,' went to their New Year's party every year. He'd always known he'd go himself one day and had always looked forward to it; some of the most famous wizards and witches in the wizarding world went to the Marchbanks' on New Year's. And, best of all, James would be going with Lily.  
  
Lily was about to ask Morwenna about the dress code when she was distracted by noises coming from overhead. Looking up, she frowned in confusion. There was another swarm of owls overhead. The post had just come; were these owls late or some such thing?  
  
But these owls didn't look like the usual lot who brought the post; generally the post owls were a jumble of different species, sizes, and colors. These owls were a uniform tawny brown color and were all rather large and dignified looking; they swooped in impressively to land before the addressee and bowed their heads respectfully before swooping off.  
  
Lily was puzzled by this strange occurrence, but most of the others weren't. Lily looked round at James, who had gone white and was staring transfixed at the owls who had yet to deliver their burdens with an expression of horror. He gripped Lily's hand convulsively and on the other side of him Sirius put a reassuring hand on James' shoulder. On Lily's other side Alice was holding on to Frank for dear life and Frank was obviously trying to be brave for Alice, murmuring reassuring words to her, but he looked plainly worried himself.  
  
It wasn't until the cries started that Lily figured it out. The owls must be Ministry owls and they were bringing the worst news possible to Hogwarts. There had been another attack.  
  
Two owls swooped over the Gryffindor table and James gripped Lily's hand even tighter. Alice let out a shaking gasp and gripped Lily's free hand spasmodically. Lily squeezed her friend's and boyfriend's hands, heartsick with apprehension for them.  
  
The owls passed and there was a collective sigh of relief in their wake. Alice, tears streaming down her face, let go of Lily's hand and embraced Frank again, crying silently with relief and sadness. Lily felt the tears welling up in her own eyes. James let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding and wrapped Lily in a bone-crushing hug. Then James turned to Sirius; the best friends exchanged a look of understanding that rendered words unnecessary and shared a brief hug.  
  
But it wasn't over; there were still a few owls left and every student in the hall who wasn't mourning their new loss turned his or her face skyward, watching the remaining owls with dread in their eyes.  
  
Two of the remaining owls soared over to the Ravenclaw table, three more came over to Gryffindor and two landed in front of Hufflepuffs. Soon seven more students had added their cries of grief and loss to those that already filled the hall.  
  
The very last owl flew over to Professor Dumbledore, who immediately opened the letter and began to peruse it intently, the expression of sorrow deepening in his face the further he read.  
  
Remus had seized his copy of The Daily Prophet and began to read out loud to them all in a quiet, shaken tone:  
  
"Fresh Attacks Rock the Wizarding World," Remus began.  
  
"The wizarding world is in mourning today after a series of Death Eater attacks that took place between midnight and one o' clock this morning leave approximately fifty dead and twelve wounded.  
  
"Masked, hooded individuals Apparated into over thirty homes at precisely midnight last evening and attacked and in many cases killed the occupants. At least twenty are confirmed dead by use of the Killing Curse, eleven in various explosions, and eight by other acknowledged Dark curses such as the Choking Charm. The use of the Cruciatus Curse has also been confirmed.  
  
"The Dark Mark, a skull with a snake protruding from it, was found above each of the thirty sites, confirming that Death Eaters were in fact responsible for these attacks. The precise reason You Know Who's followers decided to attack these individuals specifically is unknown, though most of the victims were either Mubble born or had openly opposed You Know Who and his followers.  
  
"Ministry officials expressed their grief over this tragedy but declined further comment until the Minister of Magic makes a statement later today."  
  
Lily glanced down the table at the Gryffindors who had lost their families. She felt quite sick suddenly. Muggle borns had been attacked. She could so easily have been one of them if not for Hogwarts' protective walls. It was terrifying to realize that she would be out in that world next year, that she would be so vulnerable to the whims of a mad man and his equally mad followers.  
  
Professor McGonagall, looking rather red about the eyes, came swiftly over to the Gryffindor table, beckoning for Lily, James, and the Gryffindor Prefects to follow her to the antechamber off the Hall.  
  
Once all of the prefects and Head Boy and Girl had been assembled, Dumbledore began to speak. The kindly Headmaster was more formidable than they had ever seen him, and Lily began to understand for the first time why so many said that Dumbledore was the one wizard that Voldemort feared.  
  
"As many of you are doubtless aware," Dumbledore began in a gentle tone, "Death Eater attacks took place last night, attacks many of your peers lost loved ones in, or even their entire families." Dumbldore then explained that all of the Prefects were to assist the professors with the grieving students and make sure those students were left undisturbed, if that was what they wanted, until they could take the Hogwarts Express back to King's Cross the next day.  
  
I am asking you," Dumbledore continued, "as students who have been distinguished as role models, to help those who are grieving in your houses and to remember that everyone has been affected by these attacks and not contribute to inter-House tensions." Dumbledore paused significantly; many of the Prefects from other houses had been glaring at the Slytherin Prefects. No one from Slytherin House had received a letter. "This is a time where unity and solidarity are important," Dumbledore went on after a moment. "We are all part of one school and it is important in times such as these to remember that and not blame anyone for things they had no part in."  
  
* * *  
  
Lily and James helped the Prefects keep order in the Great Hall; many of the students who hadn't heard about their families were waiting in the Great Hall for some sort of word and were becoming quite panicky. Others who had lost someone in the attacks had gathered round Professor Dumbledore in a frantic mob, demanding to know when they could get home. It was some time later when they finally returned to Gryffindor Tower together.  
  
They found the rest of the seventh years sitting quietly together in the common room in front of the fire, their expressions grim. Wordlessly and without letting go of one another, Lily and James moved to join them, huddling tightly together on a small sofa near the massive fireplace.  
  
Morwenna looked up. "What's going to happen?" she asked apprehensively. Dumbledore had asked everyone who did not need to go home to return to their common rooms to hear from their families or wait for the Ministry's list of victims to be released.  
  
"The Hogwarts Express is being provided for everyone who needs to go home tomorrow morning," James reported. "And the professors are available to anyone who needs counseling. The official victim's list won't be out till this evening."  
  
James caught sight of his owl, Wronski, perched on Sirius' shoulder. He met Sirius' eyes apprehensively, and Sirius grinned at him reassuringly and held out a letter addressed to James in his mother's familiar hand. James seized the letter and tore it open. His parents were safe. For the second time that morning, James expelled a breath he hadn't been aware of holding.  
  
Most of the Gryffindors, the seventh years included, sat in the common room for most of the day, occasionally speaking in low voices. No one had the will to do homework, or study, or do any of the other things they had planned to do. Several were conspicuously absent from their numbers, and the Gryffindors who hadn't lost their families as they had felt terribly for them. These were their friends, classmates, housemates; they couldn't have been unaffected. Yet at the same time, they were giddy with relief that it hadn't been their own families, and many of the Gryffindors felt terribly guilty over that relief.  
  
James spent most of the day with Lily, the two of them sitting together on the sofa, their fellow seventh years close by. Now that he knew his parents were safe, James was able to process the attacks more clearly.  
  
Many of the people who had been attacked had been Muggle borns, the paper had said. Muggle borns and those who opposed Voldemort and his followers openly. It could so easily have been his parents; James had realized for some time now the terrible danger his parents were in. But it hadn't really occurred to him until today how dangerous it was for people like Lily.  
  
Not only was Lily Muggle born, she was an amazingly talented, brilliant witch and wasn't afraid to stand up to people who felt she had no place in the wizarding world, people like Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange. If not for Hogwarts and more specifically Dumbledore's protection, Lily would be in even more danger than his parents, James realized. His mum and dad at least had the protection of an ancient name and the respect of many influential people; Voldemort wouldn't have them killed lightly. But Lily would be nothing to Voldemort, just a pest to be exterminated before she could contaminate the wizard race.  
  
These realizations were terrifying to James, so he stayed as close as possible to Lily all day, holding her hand when he couldn't keep his arms around her. Normally, for an independent-minded person like Lily, this constant clinging would've been intolerable, but today, lost in her own troubling thoughts, she not only didn't mind, she held onto James just as tightly.  
  
* * *  
  
The families of the attack's victims left early the next morning on the Hogwarts Express, leaving a dismal void in their wake. Hogwarts was rather subdued for most of the next week, the remaining students very aware of the empty seats their classmates had left.  
  
Only the Slytherins seemed unaffected; not one letter had come to their table that fateful Saturday. Naturally some of them seemed stricken by the attacks, particularly some of the younger ones. Not all of the Slytherins condoned Voldemort's actions.  
  
There were plenty that did, however, most notably the seventh years, and most particularly Bellatrix Black. In the face of all of the unease and sadness around her, Bellatrix was blatantly triumphant. She laughed a good deal and went about with a satisfied leer on her face, like some sort of grotesquely insane cat that had lapped up forbidden cream. Many of the professors had trouble tolerating her presence in their classrooms; Professor McGonagall found an excuse to kick Bellatrix out of her class every day that week.  
  
The students, however, did not have that alternative. They simply had to put up with Bellatrix's gloating and reveling. It became a bit hard for people to stomach, and some of the more foolish ones challenged Bellatrix and invariably ended up in the hospital wing.  
  
Snape watched his so-called ally's antics with utter disgust. It was foolhardy to throw people's suffering back in their faces; inevitably they would remember it and seek retaliation. But Bellatrix's confidence in the Dark Lord, her place in his good graces, her influence within the House and without, and in her own magical abilities made her confidence supreme. She was bordering on hubris really, and hubris inevitably led to a fall. Snape reckoned it was only a matter of time.  
  
Severus had had no part in the attacks himself, nor had he known about them, as he was almost certain Bellatrix had. In all honesty he had no opinion on them; they were not the worst the Dark Lord had ever committed, nor would they be the last. He did not necessarily embrace his lord's philosophy regarding Mudbloods and Muggles, but he didn't necessarily oppose it either. A lifetime's indoctrination could hardly be ignored, after all. All his life he'd heard Mudbloods referred to only as filth, as less than worthy people who did not deserve access to the wizarding world because only those who were pure of blood were worthy of magical ability.  
  
This was Snape's family's philosophy, the philosophy of everyone he knew well, and had been for hundreds of years. It was the way things were and the way they would stay. Severus did not personally wish all the Mudbloods in the world dead, it held no interest for him. But it was an aspect of the Dark Lord's plan and Snape knew better than to question by now.  
  
* * *  
  
Once again, the seventh year Gryffindors shared Advanced Double Potions on Friday afternoon with the Slytherins. The Gryffindors had been dreading this prolonged contact with the Slytherins all week; it was bad enough having to endure them during normal class periods, but Double Potions was going to prove to be a test of Tri Wizard Tournament proportions, and a good number of the Gryffindors would have taken the tournament any day.  
  
The tension in the air was palpable all through Professor Colander's directions and remained when the class adjourned to brew the day's potion.  
  
Bellatrix kept glancing at Lily from across the room, her gaze malevolent. Forcibly reminded of what had happened last year round this same time in the Potions corridor, Lily willed herself to stay calm. She'd stick close to her friends when they left, especially James, and it would all be all right.  
  
Lily tried to focus on the potion she was brewing, but it was difficult with Bellatrix glancing at her every few seconds. The class seemed endless  
  
At the end of class, Bellatrix, under the pretense of washing her utensils, made her way to the Gryffindor side of the room. Lily didn't quite see what happened, but one moment her cauldron was simmering gently and the next Bellatrix had managed to spill it over the floor. Lily jumped back quickly, receiving only a small spatter of the hot liquid down the front of her robes.  
  
"So sorry, Professor, Evans," Bellatrix attempted innocence, a completely incongruous expression on her.  
  
"I'm sure, Miss Black," Professor Colander had no great liking for Bellatrix either. "You'll help Evans mop up."  
  
"No!" James exclaimed quickly. "Er - that is - Sirius and I can help Lily clean up."  
  
Professor Colander eyed them beadily. "Very well," she said at last. "Miss Black, I suggest you move along then."  
  
Bellatrix, still preserving an innocent face, made her way out of the classroom. James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Alice, and Frank all remained to help Lily clean up, which didn't take long with everybody pitching in, and within ten minutes they were out in the Potions corridor, looking round for Bellatrix.  
  
"It seems you have a guard detail, Mudblood," Bellatrix leaned against one wall, cat-like grin in place.  
  
"What're you playing at, Black?" Lily spat, moving forward furiously before anyone could stop her.  
  
"I merely wanted a private word, but I can see that shall have to wait for another time," Bellatrix's eyes were mocking.  
  
"You won't get a private word," Sirius growled, eyeing his cousin furiously.  
  
"Then I suppose I'll just have to say it now, won't I?" Bellatrix's eyes were mocking. "Let last weekend's attacks be a warning to you, Mudblood," she hissed at Lily. "Nobody insults me and emerges unscathed, especially not filth like you. Just remember, your time will come, your time and your dear filthy Muggle parents' time with you."  
  
Lily strode forward a few more steps and, without warning, slapped Bellatrix with all her strength, causing the other girl's head to jerk to the side. Lily raised her hand again but seemed to think the better of it.  
  
"That's what I think of you and your threats," Lily said in a low tone. "You're nothing but a pathetic, sick, psychotic little girl who wants to know what it is to have power and will do anything to get it. I won't be threatened or intimidated by you and I sure as bloody hell won't allow you to insult or threaten my parents. And the next time you challenge me you will be very, very sorry you tried it."  
  
With that, Lily pushed past Bellatrix and marched up the stairway, leaving the others to follow in her wake.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Here's the new chapter as promised. I'll try to have a new one up this weekend but it could very well be early next week.  
  
I'm amazed; the 500 review mark! Thank you to everyone who has ever taken the time to review my story and to those of you who've been reviewing regularly; the reviews keep me writing when my inspiration deserts me.  
  
This week's a bit busy; just bear with me while I get through it. Loads of stuff coming up in the next chapters: more Quidditch, Death Eaters, Bellatrix, Petunia and the Dursleys, and of course Lily and James. 


	26. Disillusionment

Chapter 25 Disillusionment  
  
Lily walked away from Bellatrix purposefully, still furious, James next to her and the others following. Obligingly, her knees and hands waited until she had rounded the corner before they began to shake and the residual shock set in. "I can't believe I did that," Lily said finally as they reached the main floor.  
  
James and Sirius were regarding Lily with a mixture of awe and admiration. James put his arm round Lily with a proud expression and Sirius grinned at her as though he were just seeing her for the first time and liked what he saw.  
  
"Well personally I'm delighted that that mad bitch finally got her comeuppance and that you were the one to give it to her," Alice spoke up, a delighted grin stealing across her face.  
  
"Hear, hear," Frank chimed in with satisfaction. "Psychotic cow's been asking for that for ages."  
  
"I'm only sorry I didn't take a swing," Alice added thoughtfully.  
  
"I have to admit that was pretty impressive, Evans," Sirius was clearly amused. "Not too many people slap Bellatrix and retain their tongues to tell the tale."  
  
"Lily!" Kathleen, Morwenna, and Dorcas had spotted them and hurried over.  
  
"What happened?" Kathleen wanted to know.  
  
Alice grinned at Lily and opened her mouth to begin. "You'll never believe what Lily did to that psychotic cow........."  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, Saturday, was the Hufflepuff-Gryffindor Quidditch match, a game that had been highly anticipated all year. The Hufflepuffs had quite a good team this year, due in large part to fifth year Beater Ludo Bagman, and stood a better chance of defeating the Gryffindors than they had in twenty or so years. Of course, the Gryffindors were determined not to allow this to happen, but it should prove to be a brilliant match anyway.  
  
The school had shaken itself out of its sadness a bit in anticipation of the match. Of course, a few reserves had to be brought in and each side was missing a few supporters, but all in all the level of excitement was quite close to what it generally was in anticipation of a Quidditch match.  
  
James was quite excited over the game himself; not only was this going to be an amazing game but Lily was going to be in the stands cheering him on as his girlfriend. He'd been dreaming about this since he was eleven, although most of those fantasies had involved Lily, completely overcome with awe at James' stellar Quidditch skills, jumping into James' arms and the two of them riding off into the sunset together on his broomstick. Of course, James was mature enough now to know that this wouldn't happen. It would just be silly. But James polished his broomstick just in case it did.  
  
Besides the potential sunset-riding, James was quite excited for another reason and a bit nervous as well. There was something he wanted to talk to Lily about after the match, something that was sure to win him loads of points with her.  
  
The Gryffindor and Hufflepuff teams left for the pitch among cheers from their respective House tables. James glanced over his shoulder at Lily one last time and winked at her. Lily rolled her eyes but smiled at him just the same, clapping along with the rest. Impulsively James dashed back round the table toward Lily. "Kiss me for luck?" James asked, putting on his most appealing expression. Blushing slightly, Lily did then shoved him off toward his waiting teammates, shaking her head at him.  
  
Half an hour later, Lily walked down to the pitch with Alice, Kathleen, and Morwenna. Remus was in the hospital wing in anticipation of the full moon tonight and Peter was visiting him, presumably. This, combined with a cold she was fighting off, made Kathleen seem rather dejected and Lily wondered again when Remus would get round to sharing his secret with her. It was bound to become a problem eventually and from the look on Kathleen's face, eventually was soon.  
  
The four girls settled into the Gryffindor stands, scanning the excited crowd for familiar faces. A few minutes later, the two teams took the field and Madam Hooch blew her whistle, signaling the start of the match.  
  
As everyone had predicted, it was a very exciting game. The Hufflepuffs had discovered some new talent to go along with Ludo Bagman and were much better than any of the current Hogwarts students could remember seeing them.  
  
James and his fellow Chasers found it harder than usual to get past the Hufflepuff Beaters and score. Gryffindor was still up by twenty points, but that lead could go at any time.  
  
"Excellent use of the Bludgers by Ludo Bagman!" Warren Windlesham of Ravenclaw intoned as Bagman foiled yet another Gryffindor pass attempt. James blew his hair out of his eyes, frustrated. He sincerely hoped that Shepard, their new Seeker, would catch the Snitch soon. WHY did Olivia Sullivan have to pass her NEWTs last year? James raged silently. We'd have won this match by now if only Olivia had been stupid.  
  
Shaking his head, James returned his focus to the game and he, Dorcas, and Swinton managed to score another goal, as did the Hufflepuffs, though neither goal came without a lot of effort. James was concentrating so intensely that when the Gryffindor crowd began to cheer he had no idea what had happened.  
  
"It seems that the Gryffindor Seeker has seen the Snitch!" Windlesham exclaimed. "Hufflepuff Seeker Markham is in hot pursuit, but Maggie Shepard has a big lead."  
  
James watched as the two Seekers dove down on the Slytherin end of the field, squinting a bit at them. Maggie did have a big lead on Markham, this was looking good.....  
  
As the entire crowd watched, something flew up from the Slytherin stands and hit Maggie squarely in the face, throwing her off course.  
  
"Mudblood!" Someone shouted from the crowd, and as Maggie came up, wiping her face, James realized what had hit her. Mud. Someone in the Slytherin section had thrown mud at Maggie Shepard and caused her to lose track of the Snitch.  
  
Sirius quickly diverted one of the Bludgers toward Markham, effectively distracting him from the Snitch. Then James called a time out.  
  
"All right, Shepard?" James called out as the team flew into a huddle.  
  
"All right," Maggie said, but she looked a bit shaken.  
  
"Bastards," Dorcas said, shaking her head as she handed Maggie a hankie so she could wipe the rest of the mud off of her face.  
  
"We can't let this distract us," James said grimly. "That's exactly what whoever threw the mud wanted. We're close, and we would've won a minute ago if that wanker hadn't interfered."  
  
"Don't let it get you down," Frank advised Maggie and Sirius and Higgins nodded emphatically.  
  
"Oh, I won't," Maggie replied grimly. "Those Slytherin bastards would love nothing more than to see us lose and I won't let that happen."  
  
And she didn't. It took another hour before Maggie finally caught the Snitch, an hour in which Hufflepuff scored twice more and Gryffindor once more and Sirius and Higgins were fouled twice each for "accidentally" pelting Bludgers into the Slytherin stands.  
  
The Gryffindors and some of the Ravenclaws erupted into cheers when Madam Hooch blew her whistle and declared the Gryffindors the winners. Most of the Slytherins booed loudly, joined by a few of the Hufflepuffs, and the spectators flooded onto the field, the Gryffindors to congratulate their team, the Hufflepuffs to console theirs.  
  
James felt a bit more satisfied than usual after this particular win; they had shown up the Slytherins who had played that filthy joke on Maggie Shepard by refusing to let it distract them. He wished he knew who had thrown that mud, but he had a fairly good idea.  
  
Quickly James shook hands with Hufflepuff captain Ludo Bagman and after speaking briefly to Maggie, went off in search of Lily.  
  
Scanning the crowd on the field, it took James a moment to realize that Lily was still up in the stands talking to Kathleen. Impulsively, James swung over his broom and kicked off, soaring easily up to the Gryffindor stands and landing in front of Lily.  
  
Kathleen grinned as she caught sight of him. "I'll see you later, shall I?" she said to Lily and began to make her way down.  
  
"Congratulations," Lily smiled her luminous smile at James.  
  
"Thanks," James grinned back, his heart flip-flopping.  
  
Shouldering his broom, James took Lily's hand as they made their way down the steps.  
  
"How's Maggie?" Lily asked after a minute, her brow creasing slightly.  
  
"Dunno," James shrugged. "She says she's ok but I'm not sure."  
  
"Maybe we ought to go and talk to her later," Lily suggested, her brow creasing with concern.  
  
"Right," James said, slightly nervous.  
  
Lily and James walked in silence for a few minutes while James tried to work up the courage to ask Lily what he had been going to ask her. Oh sod it, James finally got fed up with himself. No guts, no glory. He opened his mouth.  
  
"Er - I - er- I'm glad you can make it to Morwenna's party," James got out. Smooth. Very smooth.  
  
"Me too," Lily's smile widened. She and James had talked about the party just last night and she was desperately excited to be going with him.  
  
"Y'know," James continued in a would-be casual tone, "my parents go to the Marchbanks' every year, and since they'll be there and you'll be there, I thought - well - I thought maybe you could meet them," James held his breath.  
  
"I'd love to," Lily said comfortably. She'd been prepared for this possibility by Morwenna and was actually quite looking forward to it. It should prove interesting to meet the two people who had produced James Potter.  
  
James expelled his breath, relief washing over him. Phase one of his plan seemed to be going along swimmingly. "Brilliant," he grinned at Lily, who smiled back at him and squeezed his hand.  
  
James allowed himself another moment of silence before going on.  
  
"I was thinking," he began hesitantly, "since you'll be meeting my parents it seems only fair that I should meet yours. Like maybe sometime over the holidays," James paused expectantly. Silence.  
  
"If you want, that is," he added quickly.  
  
"Oh. That - that would be - just - brilliant," Lily's reply had come a bit too late. James looked thoroughly crestfallen. "Brilliant!" she overcompensated. "I'd LOVE it, really I would," she stressed frantically.  
  
"Really?" James brightened.  
  
"Oh, absolutely!" Lily gushed, wondering why she couldn't seem to stop.  
  
"That's a relief," James put an arm round Lily's shoulders. "For a second there I thought you didn't want me to meet them."  
  
"That's ridiculous," Lily said airily, an intense pain searing her left temple. Oh bloody, bloody hell.  
  
* * *  
  
Two hours later Lily managed to escape the common room party and James' holiday plans by claiming that she wanted to write to her parents immediately. Running to her dormitory like boggarts were on her tail, Lily slammed the door shut and leaned against it. "Bollocks," she said aloud.  
  
"Something wrong, Lils?" Lily started and looked frantically round till she spotted Kathleen sitting on her bed and looking at least as bad as Lily felt.  
  
"In a word, yes," Lily sighed and plopped down on the bed next to Kathleen's, burying her face in the pillow. Her headache had gotten steadily worse with all of the talk of afternoon tea and attaching the Evans household to the Floo network.  
  
"Tell me about it," Kathleen suggested. "It might help me take my mind off my own problems."  
  
"What - " Lily started to ask but Kathleen shook her head.  
  
"You first."  
  
Lily poured out the whole story about James suggesting she meet his parents and then suggesting that he should meet hers.  
  
"I don't understand," Kathleen's brow furrowed. "Your parents are lovely. What's the problem?"  
  
It's not them I'm worried about," Lily explained. "It's my stupid sister and her fat and stupid fiancé. My parents will want THEM to meet James too and then the shit will have really hit the fan."  
  
"Oh." Kathleen had heard enough stories about Petunia to understand Lily's concern without further explanation. "That IS a problem."  
  
"Don't I know it," Lily flopped back down on the bed, dejected.  
  
"He'll have to meet her sooner or later though," Kathleen commented. "And it looks as though it's going to be sooner."  
  
Both sat still, digesting this last statement. "Bollocks," Lily repeated finally.  
  
"Looks like," Kathleen shrugged dejectedly.  
  
"So why are you up here by yourself?" Lily asked, remembering Kathleen's problem.  
  
"It's Remus," Kathleen sighed, looking thoroughly miserable. "I think something's wrong with him."  
  
"Why do you say that?" Lily asked carefully, watching Kathleen.  
  
"I went to the hospital wing a bit ago to get some Pepper-Up Potion for my cold," Kathleen explained. "And Remus was there in bed, even though he told me that he was visiting his mum this weekend. Lily, he looked awful; he was all pale and sweaty. I think something's wrong with him and I don't understand why he's lying to me about it," Kathleen was on the verge of tears.  
  
Lily put a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. Bollocks. Again. "Maybe you should ask Remus about it when he gets out of hospital," Lily suggested. "Tell him what you saw and then give him a chance to explain."  
  
"I think you're right," Kathleen gave a watery smile and Lily smiled back. "Thanks, Lils. Sorry I'm not being more of a help to you."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Lily waved it off. "I'll sort this mess out somehow. And maybe you're right. Maybe it's best to get it over with now."  
  
* * *  
  
Despite Kathleen's and later Alice's advice, Lily remained on tenterhooks about this meeting between her boyfriend and her family until she received her parents' reply to her letter. As she'd expected, they were enthusiastic about the idea of meeting James and agreed that the Sunday before Christmas would be best, as Petunia's wedding was the week after and they would be too busy that week to have any company.  
  
The piece of news that relieved Lily's tension and nearly caused her to shriek with joy was the news that, unfortunately, Petunia and Vernon wouldn't be able to join them as they'd already accepted an invitation to go to Vernon's parents' home that weekend and would have to meet James at another time. Unfortunately indeed.  
  
Without Petunia, Lily would know what it was to be part of a normal family, a family where her sister didn't hate her and fear her way of life. Lily's parents had always been extremely supportive of Lily's magic and she knew that they would treat James as kindly as they treated everyone. Maybe this wouldn't be so horrible after all.  
  
As Lily became more receptive to the idea of meeting each other's families, James grew more and more enthusiastic about it. He was determined that it would go perfectly and threw himself secretly into Muggle research so that he would know what to say to Lily's parents and how to behave and what to expect. He intended to be a serious part of their daughter's future, and that might prove difficult if he made some sort of faux pas that shocked the Evanses into hating him.  
  
With all of James' research and Lily's anxiety, the rest of November passed quickly and before either of them felt ready for it, December had arrived and the holidays were now only a week away.  
  
Lily and James weren't the only ones whose nerves were on edge; Alice would be meeting Frank's mother for the first time at the Marchbanks' New Year's party and she was somewhere near a nervous breakdown.  
  
Kathleen had asked Remus about his hospital stay and it seemed, from what Lily had gathered, that Remus had avoided the issue, making up some story about catching something from his mother and having to stay in the hospital wing. Honestly Lily couldn't determine whether Kathleen believed it or not. They were still together for now, but Lily really couldn't say how long that would last if the truth didn't come out soon.  
  
* * *  
  
Snape anticipated the upcoming holidays with nothing but dread. His excited, chattering peers annoyed him; they were looking forward to idling their holidays away and if there was one thing Snape couldn't stand it was idleness.  
  
He knew without being told that he would be spending his holidays in the Dark Lord's service, engaging in endless rounds of Muggle torture and hatching plots for murder and mayhem. Much more suited to Bellatrix's line than his.  
  
Truthfully Snape was finding it increasingly difficult to remember what had attracted him to the Dark Lord in the first place. He had been singled out, true, but he had felt honored to be chosen. And Snape wasn't sure anymore why he had felt so privileged. Being a Death Eater was nothing more than a chore, a debt, something to be fulfilled but never enjoyed or inspired by or interested in.  
  
Comparatively, Snape knew very little about the Death Eater's plans; next to someone like Bellatrix he was completely out of the loop. But even he knew that things were coming, big, important things. Things that would make the Mudblood attacks in November insignificant in comparison.  
  
As one of the inner circle, Snape knew that he was expected to take part. And he also knew that he would find these tasks as distasteful as he had found everything since he'd been Marked last spring and Snape longed to feel the old inspiration.  
  
But those times of inspiration had passed and Snape knew that never again would he be under any illusions about what it was that he did in the world.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Sorry it's taken so long to post this chapter; the next one should be up a lot faster now that I have a bit more time to write. Thanks to everyone who reviewed with special thanks to James Potter09, Four Stars, bridget, Alex92, da drama queen, and a very, very special thanks to Em Starcatcher; your review literally brought tears to my eyes. Again, thanks everyone. Keep reading and reviewing! 


	27. Disaster

Chapter 26 Disaster  
  
Lily yawned and stretched, glancing round her. Considering it was a Friday night, there were a surprising number of people in the library. But they, like her, were trying to get their homework in order before the Hogsmeade trip tomorrow. The approaching holidays had led to a veritable avalanche of homework for the entire school and most of the Hogwarts student body hadn't been keeping up with it as they should have, leaving them buried in work at the weekends.  
  
Finishing her perusal of the library, Lily turned her attention to the person across from her. She'd been completely shocked when James had offered to come to the library with her and had been even more shocked when he hadn't immediately suggested that they sneak off and snog somewhere. He had actually been completely engrossed in 1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi, of all things, for two hours now. How had she not known that her boyfriend was so interested in Herbology and why did she find that so hard to believe?  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, Lily noticed some movement coming from the general direction of the Defense Against the Dark Arts shelves. Turning, she spotted Kathleen waving frantically at her. What in Merlin's name?  
  
Making certain that James was still engrossed in herbs and fungi, Lily casually made her way over to her friend.  
  
The moment Lily left, James pulled out the book he had hidden behind the Herbology text and studied the cover again. Muggle Like Me: One Wizard's Experiences in Muggle London was proving to be quite helpful, but James found some of it to be a bit far-fetched. A man who went about in a truck delivering people's post indeed. And why would anyone buy little pieces of paper to lick and stick on their letters so that this mythical postman could carry their letters about when they could just buy an owl? Probably this postman was some sort of story told to Muggle children, like Santa Claus.  
  
And the sports! Why would anyone want to play, let alone watch, this football thing? Only one ball that stayed on the ground while teams of men kicked it about? What did you even need an entire team for if there was only one ball? There weren't even any Bludgers to stop the teams from scoring. Who did stop them, other players? Who in their right mind would allow that? He wondered if Lily had ever played football.  
  
Shaking his head at these peculiarities, James returned to the Muggle Studies section to do some more research. As long as he didn't have to send a letter by "the postman" and Mr. Evans wasn't a football fan, he should be all right.  
  
* * *  
  
As soon as Lily got close enough, Kathleen reached out and yanked her out of sight between the shelves.  
  
"Kathleen!" Lily exclaimed. "What are you on about, for Merlin's sake?"  
  
"Lily - Lily -" Kathleen was clearly distraught. "I've been in here since four reading and reading and I think - I think - "  
  
"Slow down," Lily said patiently. "Start from the beginning. Why have you been reading in here since four?"  
  
Kathleen took a deep breath, trying to be calm. "I came to do some research about Remus. Lily, I know he told me that he caught a cold from his mum, but the way he looked in the hospital - I just wanted to - check. So I looked up his symptoms in this Symptoms of Magical Illnesses book - the paleness and sweatiness, and lack of energy and from there I looked up MORE things and I've narrowed it down." Kathleen indicated the sheaf of papers in her hand.  
  
"Of course, it could be loads of things, but all the symptoms combined together and the way he's been sick so often -" Kathleen broke off, looking tense.  
  
"Just say it," Lily urged, feeling terrible that her friend was so upset and that she couldn't tell her the truth.  
  
"Lily, I think Remus is a werewolf," Kathleen opened her eyes and regarded Lily worriedly.  
  
"What?" sputtered Lily, astonished that Kathleen had guessed.  
  
"I know it sounds ridiculous," Kathleen said apologetically. "But, Lils, just THINK about it. He gets sick or goes away round the same time every month, round the time of the full moon. I checked the lunar charts," Kathleen indicated a chart on the floor with notes scribbled all over it. "It all fits. And the symptoms fit too, those symptoms only fit a few things, but I really don't think he has glandular fever, and as far as I know he's never been anywhere NEAR a veela -" Kathleen broke off, looking at Lily expectantly.  
  
"Er- " Lily really had no idea what to say. She certainly wasn't going to deny it, but it wouldn't be right to reveal Remus' secret either.  
  
"Why wouldn't he tell me something like this?" Kathleen sank dejectedly to her knees to gather up her books and charts. "But then, maybe he's not a werewolf, I haven't got any proof, just a hunch and a lot of research. Maybe he did catch something from his mum but it's not a cold like he thinks, maybe it's glandular fever - "  
  
"Kathleen," Lily interrupted gently. "I think that you really ought to go and talk to Remus. Just tell him what you've noticed and then give him a chance to explain." Kathleen nodded, a pensive expression on her face.  
  
"Just out of curiosity," Lily blurted impulsively, "what would you do if Remus IS a werewolf?"  
  
"I dunno," Kathleen said reflectively. "I mean, I wouldn't be thrilled that he kept this massive secret from me obviously, but other than that I honestly don't know." Kathleen gave herself a mental shake. "But I don't need to worry about that because I'm just being paranoid, right Lily? I mean, probably nothing's wrong with Remus."  
  
"I really think you should go and talk to him," Lily repeated, not meeting Kathleen's eye. Merlin, but she was bad at this.  
  
* * *  
  
The Marauders waited about in front of Honeydukes the next morning, waiting for Lily, Morwenna, Kathleen, and Dorcas to join them. Sirius wore his customary coolly indifferent expression and Peter's usual nice-but-a- bit-thick expression was in place, but Remus seemed a bit off to James. "What's wrong with you, Moony?" James, curious, set aside his latest volume, Muggles Behind the Myth, and turned to face Remus. Sirius and Peter looked round attentively as well.  
  
Remus glanced meaningfully round him and without any further prodding, the Marauders slipped round the corner of the building. Assured of privacy now, Remus opened his mouth. "I think Kathleen suspects - something," he whispered. James, Sirius, and Peter exchanged glances. James had told them about Lily's conversation with Kathleen in the library the night before and the three had agreed with Lily that they needed to do their best to persuade Remus to come clean.  
  
"Why do you think she suspects something?" James asked reasonably.  
  
"I can tell when people do," Remus shrugged, but it was clear that it bothered him. "She may have even figured it out by now, I don't know."  
  
"You have to tell her," Sirius stated firmly. "It'll be the worse for you if you don't."  
  
"She's bound to be upset if she has to figure it out for herself," Peter put in.  
  
"I've tried, honestly I have," Remus' tone wasn't quite calm. "But - well - the thing is... " Remus paused, struggling to fond the right words. "Almost all my life, certain people have treated me differently because of - what I am. It was hard at first, but I've more or less accepted it by now. Some people will always fear me or treat me differently because I'm a werewolf and I've learned that those people don't matter, it's my friends and family that I care about," Remus shifted a bit, looking round at each of his friends.  
  
"The thing is," he continued, "I really don't think I could stand it if Kathleen turned out to be one of those people because I think I might love her and I can't just tell myself that her opinion doesn't matter because it does."  
  
Silence. No one knew what to say to that, really. "Tell her," Sirius said finally. "Not knowing has got to be worse."  
  
"I'm not so sure about that," Remus smiled wanly.  
  
"Padfoot's right," James put in his vote. "You've got to tell her. I know what it's like when your feelings for a girl have got you by the balls; it's bloody scary to be honest in case they end up hating you. But you've got to do it."  
  
"You can't hide forever," Peter squeaked.  
  
Remus looked intently at each of the Marauders in turn, indecision plain in every detail of his face. "All right then," he said finally in a determined tone. "I'll tell her."  
  
And in that moment, James was sure that Remus was the bravest person he had ever known.  
  
* * *  
  
A few hours later, James, Lily, Sirius, and Peter sat waiting in The Three Broomsticks for Remus and Kathleen to join them. Dorcas, Morwenna, Frank, and Alice had been with them earlier and had gone on to go Christmas shopping, but the others had stuck around, wanting to find out how Remus and Kathleen's talk had gone.  
  
The Marauders passed the time by asking Lily about this "postman" system James had described which Peter and Sirius found just as ridiculous as James had.  
  
"But Lily," James was arguing, not for the first time, "why would anyone have a man deliver the post when there are owls?"  
  
"It a bit creepy," Peter put in in his squeaky voice, his watery eyes round. "What does he DO with the mail when he has it?"  
  
"You were right Prongs," Sirius chimed in. "This "postman" bollocks does sound like some sort of Santa Claus story that Muggles tell children. 'Behave, children, or the postman won't give you any mail.'" Sirius mimicked in an uncanny impersonation of James' mother.  
  
"It's not a story," Lily sighed, feeling extremely put upon. "I'm telling you, there really ARE postmen. Lots of them."  
  
"But you've never seen yours, have you?" James asked her triumphantly.  
  
"No," Lily admitted. "He comes very early in the morning."  
  
"Sure he does," Sirius nodded sagely.  
  
Before Lily could respond to this latest round, Remus and Kathleen entered the pub, both of them looking thoroughly worn out, and made their way to the table.  
  
Realizing that this could potentially be a very awkward situation, Lily caught Kathleen's eye and nodded toward the loo in the back. Kathleen nodded back and the two made their way to the ladies' room.  
  
"How did it go?" Sirius asked once Lily and Kathleen were out of earshot.  
  
"I'm not really sure," Remus slumped into a chair. "She saw me in the hospital wing after the Hufflepuff-Gryffindor match and guessed what it meant, so she wasn't surprised really."  
  
"But was she upset?" Peter pressed.  
  
"By the - problem - itself, not really. She seemed more interested in that than anything else and she had more or less guessed," Remus replied, then added with some effort: "But by the secret-keeping, yes. Very."  
  
So now what?" James wanted to know.  
  
Remus rubbed his eyes tiredly. "She needs some time to think about everything, she says, and decide whether or not she can trust me enough to be in a serious relationship with me. Because we both agreed that if there's going to be any kind of relationship at all, it's going to be a serious one."  
  
The Marauders were silent, processing this information.  
  
"It could be worse," Sirius offered eventually.  
  
"Much worse," Peter agreed.  
  
"After all," James pointed out, "she didn't say no."  
  
* * *  
  
The week between Hogsmeade and the start of the holidays passed by very quickly for the seventh year Gryffindors. With homework and the falling out between Remus and Kathleen, their time was almost completely occupied.  
  
Of course, only Lily and the Marauders knew what exactly had brought about this situation. The rest of the seventh years were in the dark and, when they tried fishing for details received only the vaguest of replies.  
  
Naturally Remus was dejected by this turn of events, but he seemed hopeful that he and Kathleen could work things out; as James had pointed out, Kathleen hadn't said no, just maybe, and Kathleen and Remus were still going to the Marchbanks' party together. Kathleen had said she might have an answer by then and wanted to go with Remus regardless.  
  
It wasn't a terribly happy start to the holidays, but the seventh years boarded the Hogwarts Express cheerfully enough the following Saturday and, at Lily and James' invitation, piled into the Head compartment at the front of the train. All except Remus and Kathleen anyway, who both went to sit with other people rather than run into each other.  
  
The train ride passed uneventfully enough. James and Sirius bought nearly all of the candy on the trolley and they played Exploding Snap until they were all singed. Remus came after a bit and stayed for a few minutes, but he didn't want t stay long in case Kathleen appeared.  
  
When the train arrived in King's Cross Station, the seventh year Gryffindors filed off the train with everyone else and called good-byes to each other as they spotted their parents with promises to see each other on the 31st and to write.  
  
Lily and James were some of the last to say their farewells. Standing on the platform, Sirius waiting impatiently for James so that they could go together to meet Mr. and Mrs. Potter, both Lily and James were a bit reluctant to go.  
  
"I'll see you on Wednesday," James said for the third time, holding both of Lily's hands.  
  
"I know," Lily replied, smiling. "I really should go, my parents will be waiting," she said for the fourth time.  
  
"I - er - I got you something," James said a bit sheepishly, letting go of one of Lily's hands to root around in his pocket.  
  
"What did you do that for? I didn't get you anything," Lily exclaimed, pleased in spite of herself.  
  
"It isn't much," James mumbled, shoving an envelope at Lily and running a hand through his hair.  
  
Lily tore the envelope open, her grin spreading from ear to ear, and pulled out a wizard photo of James, who waved enthusiastically at her and blew her a kiss.  
  
Turning the picture over, Lily saw that there was a note on the back.  
  
"Lily -" The note read.  
  
"I know how desperately you'll miss me over the holidays, so here's a little something to remember me by. Only 432,153 seconds till we see each other again.  
  
"Missing you already,  
James"  
  
"It's perfect!" Lily threw her arms round James, feeling more than a bit touched by the gesture and torn between a desire to cry and to kick James in the shin for being so bloody arrogant. "It's just as sweet and self-centered as you are."  
  
"Well, that was the idea," James grinned. From his post by the platform wall, Sirius cleared his throat pointedly, causing James to throw him a filthy look, but neither of them moved.  
  
"Will you lot just kiss already so we can get out of here?" Sirius complained.  
  
Lily and James glared at Sirius in perfect unison for his lack of sensitivity.  
  
* * *  
  
The time between Saturday and Wednesday passed by unbearably slowly for both Lily and James. For James, the time was unbearable because he missed seeing Lily every day. For Lily, the time was unbearable partly because she missed James and partly because The Wedding of the Century was a mere ten days away.  
  
The Evans household seemed to be bursting at the seams and threatening to erupt and rain pink taffeta on them all at any moment. Everywhere Lily looked she was confronted by cotton-candy pink taffeta, usually adorned with bows and/or ruffles. Until this point, Lily had never known that her sister had such a fondness for bows. She pitied Petunia's children, really she did.  
  
Petunia was even more unbearable than usual, running mad through the house muttering under her breath about things like gravy boats and string quartets and refusing to eat anything unless absolutely forced. Lily was constantly tempted to pick up the nearest pink item and bludgeon Petunia with it every time she opened her mouth.  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Evans took the approaching wedding and their daughter's erratic behavior calmly. They asked Lily hundreds of questions about James: what they should serve for tea when he came, how he did in school, how he had come to be Lily's boyfriend, etc.  
  
Thankfully Petunia and Vernon left for Surrey on Monday and some semblance of order was restored to the house. But the order was short- lived as Mrs. Evans began preparing in earnest for James' visit, enlisting Lily's help in trying to stuff all of the pink taffeta out of the way.  
  
By the time Wednesday arrived, Lily was feeling a bit nervous. But only a bit; her parents were very supportive of her magical abilities and would doubtless ply James with thousands of questions. And James could be quite charming when he tried, as she knew all too well, he should have no trouble captivating her parents.  
  
It was round three forty-five, with only fifteen minutes to go till James' arrival, that disaster struck.  
  
Lily, upstairs getting ready, heard a knock at the door and voices in the hallway. James is early, she thought as she prepared to go downstairs. I wonder if he had any trouble getting here without magic.......  
  
"......bloody foreigners..........can't understand the road signs.......don't know where they're going .......SHOULD BE SHOT!"  
  
Lily's blood ran cold as she froze in place. She knew that bellowing voice. Lily fumbled with the door handle and peered over the banister into the entryway, a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.  
  
She hadn't really needed to look, but there was the proof in front of her eyes. Petunia and Vernon had returned from Surrey early, and were just in time for tea.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Ack! Sorry for the cliffhanger, everyone! I didn't mean to, but I ran out of time and wanted to post this now. Never fear, the next chapter will be up very soon, possibly tomorrow if I have time, and definitely before Christmas (I'm not a complete Scrooge).  
  
Thanks for the reviews with special thanks to James Potter09, Em Starcatcher, random reviewer, Pittsy, pixeedust42, witch@heart, vizzy, Candidus-Astrum, Ljstagflower4e/Jctigerwolf4e, Logical Raven, Incognito 00, padfoots-alive, and Darkwool Dragonblade  
  
Keep reading and reviewing! 


	28. The Mad Tea Party

Chapter 27 The Mad Tea Party  
  
For a full minute, Lily stood frozen at the top of the stairs as doom descended upon her. Oh bloody, bloody hell.  
  
By this time, Vernon had ended his latest tirade and had noticed Lily. "Oh it's you, is it?" he eyed Lily with distaste.  
  
Indignation shaking her out of her shock, Lily shot her future brother in law a fulminating glare and was pleased when Vernon stepped back a bit, intimidated. Ever since he had found out the truth about Lily, Vernon had lived in fear that she would turn him into a toad and Lily didn't disabuse him of the idea in case she ever did it, accidentally or otherwise.  
  
Petunia was surveying the sitting room through narrowed eyes, taking in every detail of the table set with Mrs. Evans' favorite china, the fresh flowers, the fire burning in the fireplace.  
  
"Mum, why is the smart china out?" Petunia demanded sharply. "Who's coming to tea?"  
  
"Lily's having a guest to tea today, darling. Had you forgotten?" Mrs. Evans used in the smooth, calm voice that Lily recognized as the one she used whenever she was "handling" Petunia.  
  
Petunia went pale and looked from one parent to the other for confirmation. Both Mr. and Mrs. Evans returned her gaze tranquilly. "You mean to tell me that not only are you allowing Lily to BE a freak but now you're exposing us all to contact with OTHER freaks?" Petunia hissed, spraying spit everywhere in her outrage.  
  
"Petunia," Mr. Evans reproved in a deceptively pleasant tone. "I believe we've discussed your using that word in context with your sister."  
  
"You mean to say one of HER kind is coming here?" Vernon asked in scandalized tones. Lily seriously considered realizing Vernon's worst fears and trying her hand at Transfiguring him into a toad. It might actually be kinder than allowing James to have at him.  
  
At Mrs. Evans' serene nod, Vernon's indignation grew. "Well," he spluttered, puffing his chest out. "There is nothing I can do about the choices you've made with this deeply misguided girl," he indicated a glowering Lily, "but I WILL NOT allow you to subject MY fiancée to such riff-raff. Come along, Petunia," Vernon offered her his arm. "We needn't stay here any longer."  
  
Petunia was tempted, Lily could see it in her eyes. But it was equally plain that Mr. and Mrs. Evans weren't going to stand for it. Lily wasn't sure exactly what her parents had threatened Petunia with, but whatever it was, it seemed to be quite effective. Knowing her sister, Lily speculated that they had threatened her with disinheritance, refusing to attend her wedding, or refusing to pay for it. Or very possibly all of the above, considering how deep Petunia's hatred of Lily went.  
  
"I'd better stay," Petunia said eventually and extremely grudgingly. Vernon, completely unprepared for this, was very obviously thrown by this and stopped in the middle of his dramatic exit, looking a bit comical in the process.  
  
"Er- I - that is - WHAT did you say Petunia?" Vernon wasn't ever in tune with subtleties.  
  
"I. Think. I'd. Better. Stay," Petunia ground out through gritted teeth.  
  
"Then I'll stay with you," Vernon declared in the tones of one making a great sacrifice. "No telling WHAT this 'friend' will be like, and I won't allow you to go through this alone." Lily glanced away, thoroughly fed up, and found her father frowning at Vernon rather disgustedly while her mother bit her lip in annoyance. Lily wondered how often they had to put up with these declarations.  
  
The chime of the doorbell broke the silence and Lily raced for the foyer, the only thought in her head to warn James. She wouldn't let her worst enemy walk into Petunia and Vernon without fair warning, let alone her boyfriend.  
  
* * *  
  
James stood on the Evans' doorstep taking deep, calming breaths and trying to remember everything he had read over the past few weeks. He had NEVER been so nervous in his life and it had never been so important to not cock something up.  
  
Ok Potter, he told himself, still inhaling deeply, it's all going to be fine if you just remember what you read and be polite. They're only people after all, only people like everyone else. Feeling a bit better, James rang the bell with a still-shaking hand.  
  
The sound of running footsteps in the hall was distinctive and within what seemed like thirty seconds, the door was flung open by an out of breath and rather panicked-looking Lily.  
  
James' face immediately broke into a wide grin; no matter how nervous he was, just seeing Lily made him happy. He wondered how bad it would be for him if he and Lily snogged on the front porch for a bit instead of going right in.  
  
"Hi!" he greeted Lily delightedly. "Quick, tell me: do I look all right? Enough like a Muggle? I know you told me my Muggle clothes would be fine but is this what you had in mind because I - "  
  
"Shh!" Lily hissed, cutting James off, her expression completely frantic. "James, you have to listen to me. My sister and her fiancé are here - "  
  
"Lily!" a voice behind them said, and Lily whirled around to see Nora, her family's housekeeper, beaming at them. "So this is your young man," Nora inspected James, her smile widening. "It's very nice to meet you!" she extended a hand to James, who grinned at Nora and sent Lily a questioning glance.  
  
"This is Nora," Lily said weakly. "She takes care of us." James looked thoroughly puzzled by this but didn't say anything, thankfully, as Nora drew them both toward the sitting room.  
  
"Chin up, darling, and good luck," Nora whispered to Lily with a wink before disappearing into the kitchen.  
  
"Who was that, exactly?" James asked, watching Nora go. "She seemed nice."  
  
"I'll explain later," Lily whispered frantically. "James, listen - "  
  
"There you are, darling!" Lily winced as she heard her mother's voice behind her. "Won't you both come in?"  
  
"James, I'm sorry," Lily whispered as they moved forward into the sitting room, grasping James' hand tightly in hers. "I'm sorry for Petunia, and Vernon - there just isn't any excuse for him -"  
  
James glanced at Lily, puzzled and a bit hurt. She didn't honestly believe he'd be horrible to her sister, did she? Who did she think he was, Rodolphus Lestrange?  
  
Lily came to a stop in front of two people James assumed to be her parents. James studied them with great interest as Lily made the introductions. According to the chart he had seen in Muggles: Behind the Myth, Mr. and Mrs. Evans' clothes indicated that they were well off and educated.  
  
"James," Mrs. Evans smiled at him warmly and extended her hand. "I'm so pleased to meet you at last." James smiled back, feeling as though he already knew her. Lily had gotten her green eyes from Mrs. Evans, and her smile, and Mrs. Evans radiated the same kindness.  
  
"Very pleased to meet you as well," James smiled back at Mrs. Evans, a grin Lily recognized as one he used when he wanted especially badly to charm someone, before turning to meet Mr. Evans.  
  
Lily's father was equally pleasant, James noted with relief. Lily didn't look much like her dad, but James was almost sure that Lily shared his sense of humor; he had that same amused spark in his eyes that Lily had when she was amused. On the whole he seemed a bit quieter than Mrs. Evans, like Lily herself, and gave the impression of great intelligence, another quality his daughter had inherited. James wondered who Lily had gotten that red hair he loved so much from.  
  
"And this is our elder daughter, Petunia, and her fiancé Vernon Dursley," Mrs. Evans went on, and James was brought up short. He'd heard Lily mention a sister in passing and had assumed that she'd be similar to Lily. But no one could have been more different from Lily than this person standing in front of him.  
  
Clearly Lily had gotten the beauty in the family, and James was willing to bet the brains as well. Petunia resembled her father more than Lily did, but Mr. Evans' rather long face was not flattering on his daughter; it made Petunia bear a strong resemblance to a horse. And the prominent teeth didn't help, either; thank Merlin THAT was apparently a recessive gene.  
  
But the most striking dissimilarity was that Petunia lacked any of the warmth and kindness James saw in Lily and her parents. Instead, Petunia's face had a mean, pinched look to it and she was wearing a highly distrustful, somewhat vicious expression on her face at the moment. James racked his brains for any information he might have heard about Lily's sister but couldn't come up with any. That should have told him something right there, he cursed inwardly. Clearly the relationship wasn't good.  
  
Nevertheless, James extended his hand to Petunia. "Hello," he said, offering her a winning smile. Petunia recoiled slightly from him and Vernon moved forward a bit, his expression menacing. Feeling safe, Petunia shot Lily a look of deepest loathing that startled James a little.  
  
"So," Vernon began accusingly, his dull, beady little eyes vicious, "You go to THAT SCHOOL with Lily, do you, Potter?"  
  
"Er - yeah -" James replied hesitantly, taken aback.  
  
"Magic," Vernon snorted derisively. "If you ask me, the lot of you are all just nutters and criminals who BELONG IN JAIL! Get some sense knocked into you then, wouldn't you Potter? Or have you already BEEN to jail? Your face seems a bit familiar; been on any wanted posters lately, Potter?"  
  
"Er -" James really had no idea what to say to this mad, annoying, fat man. Vernon stood back triumphantly as though this had proven his point.  
  
"Really, Vernon," Mrs. Evans said disapprovingly. She, Mr. Evans, and Lily all seemed thoroughly embarrassed by this outburst and quite disgusted as well.  
  
By the time they sat down to tea, James understood all too well why Lily had been so frantic when she had answered the door. And there really was no excuse for Vernon. He dominated the conversation with his bellowing monologues about current affairs that were ridiculous even to James, who knew nothing about them, and would occasionally fire a question about prison or criminal records at James, hoping to catch him off guard. James was finding it increasingly difficult to be polite when all he really wanted to do was blast Vernon with a Silencing Charm and then charm off certain parts of his anatomy to ensure that this stupid prick couldn't contribute to the gene pool.  
  
"So," Mrs. Evans began once they were all seated. "James, our way of living must seem quite odd to you. Tell me, is the way you live at home very different?"  
  
"Er, yeah, a bit," James admitted.  
  
"How exactly?" Mr. Evans asked as he passed round a plate of sandwiches.  
  
"Well - " James' mind had gone inexplicably blank. "Er - We don't have electricity, for one thing. Most things like that are run off magic."  
  
"Really?" Mr. Evans asked keenly, and he and Mrs. Evans began asking James a thousand questions and James, warming to the subject, asked quite a few himself and Lily occasionally joined in, explaining the finer points of a few things.  
  
Vernon and Petunia remained silent through most of this, Vernon slowly turning a mottled shade of purple and Petunia looking more and more as though she had something particularly bitter in her mouth. Both of them were watching the interaction between James and Mr. and Mrs. Evans with growing horror and disbelief.  
  
Before either of them could say anything, however, Lily's owl Artemis swooped into the living room, a letter clutched in her beak. She circled the room, preparing to deliver the letter to Lily.  
  
As soon as she saw the bird, Petunia emitted an ear-splitting shriek, which startled Artemis, causing her to fly faster.  
  
"Eeeeeeek! That THING is back!" Petunia wailed, cowering in her chair.  
  
"GET THAT RUDDY BIRD OUT OF HERE!" Vernon roared, shielding Petunia.  
  
"Artemis! Come here!" Lily attempted to placate her frightened owl. Artemis hooted loudly and made her way toward Lily, but veered off course as an object missed her by less than a meter.  
  
Vernon, attempting to protect Petunia from the bird, had thrown a scone at Artemis and held more ammunition in his hands.  
  
"Vernon! Stop it!" Lily shrieked as several more missiles flew toward her pet. Anxiously she moved to the center of the room, crouching on her knees to avoid being hit, and attempted to persuade the owl to calm down, but it wasn't working, which was quite understandable as Artemis was in very real danger of being struck by assorted hors d-oeuvres and cutlery.  
  
"Vernon! Leave the bird alone!" Mr. Evans called from where he and Mrs. Evans had taken cover under the table to avoid Vernon's projectiles. In her chair, Petunia continued to wail in fright. Mr. Evans began to make his way round the table, ducking periodically.  
  
"Look, mate," James said in what he hoped was a reasonable tone, making his way over to Vernon, "You've got to stop it. Can't you see what a mess you're making?" Vernon's only response was to hurl a sandwich James' way. Mildly outraged, James thought briefly of retaliating but decided against it. This thing was bad enough without him getting into it, not to mention it probably wouldn't be the best way to leave Mr. and Mrs. Evans with a positive impression of him. Besides, James had had too much food thrown his way by Sirius to take any real offense.  
  
"Leave her alone!" Lily shouted furiously to Vernon and began to make her way toward him. Vernon, whose fear of being turned into a toad was very real despite all of his protestations that he didn't believe in this magic rubbish, panicked and began to hurl objects at Lily instead.  
  
"Lily!" James exclaimed as a fork narrowly missed her eye, and jumped up, livid. How dare that fat, pompous arse throw silverware at Lily? The very thought of it made James' blood boil. Pulling out his wand, James wasted no time. "Stupefy!" he bellowed, pointing his wand at Vernon.  
  
Instantly Vernon went stiff and crashed to the floor with a thud worthy of a felled elephant, his piggy little eyes bulging, staring at nothing.  
  
"You've killed him!" Petunia shrieked, her voice high enough to shatter glass. She flung herself on the floor next to Vernon's still form, sobbing. "Murderer!"  
  
"He's not dead, Petunia, James only Stunned him," Lily reassured her sister, wiping some jam from her forehead. Artemis left her shelter atop the china cabinet and flew out of the room, plainly terrified.  
  
Petunia rounded on Lily. "You were brought up in a good home by good people with a loving, respectable older sister to guide you and look how you turned out! You're subjecting your family to your insanity! Now Vernon is hurt, our house is in shambles, and it's all your fault! You've even managed to make Mum and Dad PROUD of your abnormality! And that's all it is! An abnormality! WHY can't you just be NORMAL?"  
  
"Petunia!" Mr. Evans thundered. Petunia lapsed into silence but she wore a viciously triumphant expression on her face, glad to have said her piece.  
  
Lily wore the same stoic expression James saw on her face whenever someone called Lily a Mudblood at school. Her chin high, her spine straight, Lily refused to let anyone see how the words affected her.  
  
It was just the same, James realized with a jolt. The way Muggles and wizards treated people like Lily was just the same. Both worlds scorned her as abnormal and therefore not worthy of belonging. In both places, people Lily and people like her were rejected and hated by small-minded people. And Lily had grown up like this, between two worlds, never really belonging to either. James had always just assumed that she was accepted by Muggles, maybe even envied and admired. Vernon and Petunia had opened his eyes. James didn't know how Lily lived like this every day, really he didn't. But Lily did it, and she never let on how bad it was for her and James had never admired anyone's courage more.  
  
And in that moment, James knew that he loved Lily, he truly, deeply, seriously, permanently loved her. He almost blurted it out but just managed to stop himself. Nonetheless, James was filled with an overwhelming joy, his stomach turning over, his pulse racing. Involuntarily a grin spread across his face. It seemed so obvious to him now. Of course he loved her, he had always loved her, or at least the idea of her. But now he loved Lily as she actually was, with all of her imperfections and virtues and crosses to bear and in spite of her horrifying sister.  
  
"Oh dear." Nora the housekeeper had entered the room and was now staring aghast at the splattered food, shattered china, and prostrate body of Vernon Dursley, whom Mr. Evans was half-heartedly attempting to revive.  
  
"Don't worry about all of this, Nora," Mrs. Evans said firmly. "Petunia and Vernon will clear it up. "But I think Petunia could use a strong cup of tea," Mrs. Evans added wearily, indicating her hysterical daughter.  
  
"All - all right, Mrs. Evans," Nora agreed weakly. "I'll bring it straight away." She disappeared back into the kitchen.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry it all went this way, James," Mrs. Evans said "we were so looking forward to meeting you."  
  
"You've got nothing to apologize for, Mrs. Evans," James replied, surprised. "But I'm sorry I Stunned your - er - son in law. It's just that he could have hurt Lily and -"  
  
"There's no need for you to explain," Mrs. Evans said kindly, at which Petunia looked up sharply at her mother, her face disapproving. "Anyone would've done the same for someone they care about, and it's clear that you care for my daughter a great deal."  
  
"I do," James said, meaning it, and grinned at Mrs. Evans, who smiled back warmly. Lily, who was standing beside James, took his hand, and the two of them smiled at each other. Mrs. Evans watched them carefully; she had been fairly certain that her daughter and this boy felt very strongly about each other, and seeing them together like this confirmed it. Rose Evans could tell that it wouldn't be much longer before they had another wedding in the family.  
  
Nora's entrance with Petunia's tea put an end to the moment. Mrs. Evans turned to see to her elder daughter, whose complaining over everything from the state of the house just before her wedding to her "shocked nerves" to her unconscious groom drew Lily and James' attention away from each other.  
  
"I think it's best that I leave now," James said a bit sheepishly.  
  
"We so enjoyed meeting you, in spite of everything," Mr. Evans offered.  
  
"Me too," James smiled. Lily's parents were nice, at any rate.  
  
'By the way, you wouldn't happen to know how to revive Vernon here, would you?" Mr. Evans asked, lips twitching.  
  
"Er - right. I forgot," James was shamefaced as he waved his wand at Vernon and said "Ennervate" and a blustering Vernon sat up and demanded to know what was going on over Petunia's cries of joy.  
  
Quietly, James moved toward the door, pausing briefly in front of the sofa. "I'll walk you out," Lily said quickly as Vernon's glowering gaze fell on her and James. The two hurried out of the room as Vernon bellowed "He did WHAT?!"  
  
"I'm so very, very sorry," Lily said, letting them outside.  
  
"Why are YOU sorry?" James asked as he put on his jacket. "You've got nothing to be sorry for."  
  
"I'm sorry for Vernon and - and - for my sister," Lily flushed a bit as she said the last part. "Basically I'm sorry for being enough of a git to let you walk into this situation without fair warning. I thought they'd still be out of town, but they turned up early and - "  
  
"Lily," James interrupted. "You will never be a git as long as you have Petunia and Vernon for competition. And you've got nothing to be sorry for. If anyone should be sorry, it's your sister. And she will be, once the stuff I put in her tea takes effect," James added with a good deal of satisfaction.  
  
"James!" Lily tried her best to look horrified but was unable to keep her lips from twitching despite her best efforts. "What did you do?"  
  
"Let's just say your sister might be wearing her veil over her face a bit longer than she planned at her wedding," James smirked.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Lily demanded, still trying to muster up her Prefect Look of Death.  
  
"You'll see," James winked, looking every inch the Marauder.  
  
"You're impossible," Lily said, rather more adoringly than she'd intended to.  
  
"Petunia said some pretty awful things to you," James said seriously. "I can't let her get away with that."  
  
"She's been saying them to me since I was eleven years old," Lily's shrug didn't quite come off. "I'm used to it by now."  
  
"It's not something anyone should have to get used to," James said heatedly. "I had no idea you had to deal with her plus those wankers at school. It isn't right."  
  
Lily suddenly felt teary-eyed. "It's the way things are," she managed to get out round the lump in her throat, trying to sound matter-of- fact. "But I don't ever want you to feel sorry for me because I sure as bloody hell don't," she added more firmly.  
  
"I don't feel sorry for you," James protested. "I - " he nearly told her but just managed to prevent himself. Later, when the timing was better. He was going to get the timing right for a change. "I - think you're really brave," he finished.  
  
"Thanks." Lily's smile was brilliant. Suddenly uncomfortable, she busied herself hailing a passing cab for James.  
  
"I guess I'll see you on the thirty-first then," James ventured.  
  
"Definitely," Lily confirmed  
  
James leaned closer. "Thanks for letting me meet your parents' Lily," he said softly. Lily thought she just might cry, so instead, she leaned over and kissed James.  
  
When they finally broke apart, both of them were wearing rather bemused grins and were thinking about just how far away New Year's Eve was.  
  
"I'll write to you," Lily whispered, kissing James' cheek. Somehow it all felt different after this latest disaster. She couldn't even seem to hear Vernon's trumpeting or Petunia's shrieking, though it was certain that the neighbors could.  
  
"Yeah," James replied slowly, a slightly silly expression on his face. "See you soon."  
  
"See you soon," Lily echoed. She waited till James' cab rounded a corner, then turned and went back to the house, Vernon's bellows audible once more.  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Told you I'd have the new chapter up soon! I'm quite proud of myself, actually. This will probably be the last update before Christmas (I have shopping to finish, I admit it)  
  
Thanks to everyone for their reviews, especially witch @ heart, da drama queen, LogicalRaven, Tessa1, Squirrel Maiden of Green, gruftschnitte, Em Starcatcher, Incognito 00, charmed-ireland, a person, and earendil.  
  
Snape will return next chapter, and Morwenna's New Year's party is coming very soon. Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays and thanks for reading and reviewing! 


	29. Beards, Bows, and Bafflements

Chapter 28 Beards, Bows, and Bafflements  
  
James eased open the back door of his family's country house and tiptoed into the kitchen, trying to make as little noise as possible. His parents were likely to be at work; Ministry employees had very little time off these days. But just in case they were here, James didn't want to alert them to the fact that he was home.  
  
"How did it go?" inquired a voice. James jumped three feet in the air before he recognized the voice as belonging to Sirius.  
  
"Badly," James sighed, turning round to face his best friend.  
  
"How badly?" Sirius wanted to know, the corners of his lips twitching.  
  
"I - er - spiked Lily's sister's tea with Beardsley's Beard-All Brew," James admitted sheepishly.  
  
"You did?" Sirius snorted with laughter. "Isn't she getting married soon?"  
  
"In five days," James replied in a small voice.  
  
"Lily's gonna kill you!" Sirius was hooting with laughter by now. "That stuff takes weeks to wear off completely!" he managed before he became thoroughly incapable of coherent speech.  
  
"Laugh it up, Padfoot," James said sourly to his rollicking friend. "I'll bloody well remember this when it's YOUR turn, you arse."  
  
"Whatever did the bride do to deserve to wear a full beard on her wedding day?" Sirius asked smarmily after he had taken a few deep breaths and calmed down somewhat.  
  
"She said some really nasty things to Lily, I couldn't let her get away with that!" James defended himself.  
  
"Why was she being nasty to Lily?" Sirius frowned slightly.  
  
"For absolutely no good reason!" James was indignant. Sirius merely looked at him.  
  
"She was a bit hysterical because Lily's owl delivered some mail and then she got REALLY hysterical after I Stunned her fiancée," James admitted grudgingly.  
  
"You Stunned Lily's sister's fiancé?" Sirius howled, tears practically streaming down his face. "This just keeps getting better and better!"  
  
"The stupid git deserved it," James was merciless. "He was chucking things at Lily's owl because it had scared Petunia - "  
  
"Petunia?" Sirius was confused.  
  
"Lily's sister is called Petunia," James explained.  
  
"No she isn't," Sirius dismissed this ludicrous idea.  
  
"She really IS called Petunia," James insisted.  
  
"She can't be, it has to be some sort of cruel nickname," Sirius refused to believe it.  
  
"Sirius, Petunia is the absolute LAST person in the world ANYONE would nickname, trust me," James said earnestly.  
  
"But NOBODY - "  
  
"SIRIUS! WILL YOU JUST SUSPEND YOUR BLOODY DISBELIEF AND LET ME GET ON WITH IT?!"  
  
"All right, all right," Sirius huffed. "You were saying?"  
  
"So Vernon, the fiancé, was chucking things at Lily's owl because it had scared Petunia -" Sirius shook his head in disbelief - "and Lily went to stop him, so he started chucking things at Lily and this fork nearly hit her eye - "  
  
"Fork?" Sirius interrupted again.  
  
"I think he'd thrown all of the food by then," James explained, "so he'd moved on to silverware. But the fork nearly hit Lily in the eye, which made me mad - I mean, why would anyone want to hurt LILY of all people? - so I Stunned him before there were any more close calls," James finished.  
  
"So basically this civilized afternoon tea with Lily and her parents turned into a food fight that culminated in your rendering the future son in law unconscious and psychologically scarring the sister?" Sirius summed up. James nodded. His best mate certainly did have a way with words.  
  
"Leave it to you, Prongs," Sirius shook his head.  
  
* * *  
  
While the next few days of James' holiday felt uneventful by comparison, Lily found that the madness was just beginning for her.  
  
She had woken up Thursday morning to Petunia's terrible shrieks. Assuming that it was Artemis with the post - she had written to Alice yesterday evening to "thank" her for the good luck letter she had sent that Artemis had been delivering during tea, so Lily was expecting Alice's reply anytime now.  
  
Still half asleep as she ventured into the kitchen, expecting to see nothing more than her owl and distraught sister, Lily was completely unprepared to find her parents gathered round an hysterical bearded horse.  
  
Lily uttered a shriek nearly as ear splitting as her sister's had been. It took Lily a few seconds to realize that what she had thought was a bearded horse was actually her sister - and that said sister was blaming Lily for her new waist-length beard  
  
Nearly incoherent in her frenzy, Petunia sobbed accusations at Lily about freaks, evil juvenile delinquent boyfriends, ruining weddings, and humiliation while Lily tried desperately not to laugh at Petunia's furiously wagging beard.  
  
"Petunia," Mr. Evans reentered the room wearily, " I've got my electric razor - really, darling, there'll be nothing to worry about."  
  
Petunia burst into a fresh round of tears and it was quite a few minutes before Mr. and Mrs. Evans could calm her enough to be able to shave her beard without cutting her in the process.  
  
"Will it be gone in time for the wedding?" Petunia asked tearfully as her father spread shaving cream over her chin.  
  
"Of course it will be!" Mrs. Evans enthused. "Won't it, Lily dear?"  
  
"Oh, absolutely!" Lily overcompensated. "These things wear off quite quickly, you know," she added reassuringly, trying not to remember how Davy Gudgeon had spent all of third year with a tail after James and Sirius had spiked HIS drink.  
  
* * *  
  
Two days later, Petunia's beard still had not gone away despite repeated shaving, so the day after Christmas, Lily wrote to St Mungo's for emergency advice, which was remarkably unhelpful. The reply advised them to wait it out and if the beard had not gone away in six to eight weeks Lily should schedule a consultation. In the meantime, the letter suggested, they should braid Petunia's beard and trim it with flowers and ribbons so that it would be festive for the wedding.  
  
Petunia, who already blamed Lily for her new facial hair, went through the roof when she heard this and it was touch and go whether or not Lily would be in the wedding after all. Unfortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Evans were adamant that they would not pay for the wedding if Lily wasn't in it, so once again Petunia capitulated, much to Lily's disgust. She had seen her completed dress now and had actually had nightmares about it, but it seemed that the bloody thing was in her future no matter what she did. Even if she were to give Petunia pointed ears and white hair to complement her beard, she would probably still have to walk down the damned aisle in that accursed dress.  
  
The one saving grace was that the beard diminished a bit every day. On the day before the wedding it was only shoulder-length unshaven and it took it almost twice as long to grow back.  
  
Mrs. Evans had gone out to buy some emergency beard-trimming equipment (Petunia refused to leave the house in case her beard sprouted unexpectedly) and had bought two very efficient electric razors and a packet of plastic ones, extra blades, shaving cream, and moisturizer and concealer for the stubble. Then she and Lily had gone to Diagon Alley to find some sort of magical remedy, an excursion Mrs. Evans highly enjoyed, and went home with a hair removal potion that sounded quite promising, but Petunia absolutely, utterly, and shrilly refused to use any sort of magical cure, breaking two pink centerpieces in the process. As Petunia was hanging on by a thread already, Mrs. Evans decided to capitulate before the wedding had to be cancelled altogether due to the bride's having to be committed.  
  
Try as she might, Lily couldn't quite feel terrible over Petunia's predicament, nor could she be properly mad at James for putting Petunia in it. True, she was a bit irked with James over the whole thing because of the trouble it had caused her, but Petunia had caused Lily too much pain over the years for her to feel a great deal of sympathy for her now, especially since she was so upset over her marriage to a dolt like Vernon.  
  
No one else knew about James' role in this beard debacle, Lily was almost certain. Petunia blamed Lily for her new beard, but then she blamed Lily whenever anything went badly in her life. Mr. and Mrs. Evans may have suspected that James had had some sort of role in it. But Lily was fairly sure that they too suspected that Lily had been behind it and just hadn't said anything, either because they thought she had done it accidentally like she had used to do things when she was little, or because they thought Lily had been provoked after that disastrous tea. Either way, neither of them mentioned Lily as having any sort of role in Petunia's new facial hair.  
  
In spite of everything, of the disastrous tea and its equally disastrous aftermath, Lily was glad that James had met her mum and dad and even, in a very small way, that he had met Petunia and Vernon. They were the skeletons in her closet, the very worst part of her life, and James still wanted to be with her after meeting them. It was a relief in a way, not having to worry that one day James would decide that dating Lily wasn't worth putting up with Petunia and Vernon and bugger off. Just the opposite in fact; he was averaging two letters a day to Lily now, full of news about his holidays and their friends and the wizarding world in general. Lily was finding it a bit difficult to stay irritated with him actually, and that was a bit disconcerting; not so long ago Lily would have been appalled by this beard practical joke. This was definitely some sort of step, but she wasn't exactly sure that it was in a good direction.  
  
* * *  
  
Petunia's wedding day dawned clear and bright, the sunrise as pink as the mountains of taffeta in the Evans household.  
  
The bride herself was in a somewhat cheerful mood, having discovered that her beard was barely collar length this morning; she was almost civil to Lily as she went off to shave.  
  
Lily, however, had rarely felt worse in her life. Not only was that pea-brained, pompous elephant officially joining her family today, this was also the day that she would have to wear and have her picture taken in the dress she had been dreading wearing since she had heard the words "pink taffeta."  
  
To make matters worse, she'd had to share her bedroom with Petunia's bridesmaids, including Vernon's sister Marge, who thought she had been given leave from juvenile detention to attend this wedding.  
  
"What are you doing, darling?" Lily's mother's voice was a bit panicked. "Start getting dressed! We're due at the church in half an hour!" Lily scowled; she couldn't delay it any longer. Heaving a great sigh, she picked up her dress and slipped it over her head.  
  
After making the finishing touches, Lily stood back and surveyed the damage, then very nearly cried at what she saw. It was loads worse than even what she had imagined.  
  
Lily's bridesmaid dress had short, very puffed sleeves and an extremely full skirt, full to the point of poofiness, causing Lily to resemble a walking Easter egg. To make matters worse, every edge of the dress was trimmed with lacy ruffles and there was a small bow at the neckline and on each of the sleeves. But the real piece de resistance was the enormous multilayered bow in the back that rested just over Lily's bum and draped down over it in tiers of pink taffeta swoops and puffs.  
  
Fabulous, Lily thought as she turned so she could survey the damage in back, not only am I wearing the least flattering color possible, but it looks like a giant bow is eating my arse. Jamming the matching wreath on her head and stepping into her matching bow-bedecked shoes, Lily was as ready as she'd ever be.  
  
Downstairs, a freshly shaved and radiant Petunia was accepting compliments from the assembled bridesmaids and family members.  
  
"Lily!" Mrs. Evans exclaimed at the sight of her younger daughter. "Don't you look lovely!"  
  
"Smile!" added Lily's Aunt Beatrice as she snapped a picture. Lily fought the instinctive urge to hunt, kill, and eat her aunt and then bash the camera against Petunia's head until she was quite sure it would never take another picture.  
  
After several minutes of conversation and compliments on her appearance, Petunia caught Lily's eye and motioned toward the corner. Bracing herself, Lily followed her sister.  
  
"I'm warning you," Petunia began menacingly, "if you do anything to ruin this day for me, you will regret it very deeply."  
  
"Are you threatening me?" Lily felt her face go red. Perfect, one more thing to clash with her dress.  
  
"Mum and Dad can't protect you forever," Petunia hissed. "And when they can't anymore I'll still be here. Just remember that."  
  
"If you're trying not to get disinherited you're doing a very poor job of it," Lily pointed out calmly. "You're hissing at me like an angry goose and Mum and Dad are both watching."  
  
"I'm aware of that," Petunia snapped, drawing back her teeth in the semblance of a smile and causing herself to look more horselike than ever. "I'm not stupid."  
  
"I didn't say that you were," Lily retorted coolly. "But then again, you were the one who chose pink dresses with enormous ass bows, and some things speak for themselves, don't they?"  
  
"Petunia darling, it's time to go!" Mrs. Evans called to her daughter. Shooting one last furious glare at her sister, Petunia swept out the door and into the waiting car, her own ass bow quivering back and forth as she went.  
  
* * *  
  
The Wedding of the Century went off well, Lily grudgingly conceded. No one had thrown any food, or made any objections during the ceremony, and everyone had tactfully ignored the bride's five o'clock shadow. In a pink covered church, her sister had promised to love, honor, and cherish that blustering hippo in front of God and all their relatives in a teary voice, the enormous bow above her arse giving the audience something to focus their attention on through the boring bits. Then everyone had adjourned to the reception hall her parents had rented for dinner, dancing, and an enormous amount of wine.  
  
There Lily had dutifully taken a turn round the dance floor with all of her male relatives and a good number of Vernon's and watched her constantly teary-eyed sister, who had only had to sneak away to shave three times, accept congratulations and marveled that Petunia could be so happy to be tied for life to such a staggering eejit.  
  
Nearly all of Vernon's side got more than a bit tipsy, including his large, robust, sensible parents, who led a conga line round and round the buffet, and his large, robust, mannish sister Marge, whom Lily was fairly certain she saw making a pass at the waitress.  
  
Then it was time to see the newlyweds off, and after one more quick shave, Petunia tossed the bouquet to Marge, who looked hopefully at the Dursleys' family friend Lieutenant Fubster, and Petunia and Vernon were off for their honeymoon in Majorca.  
  
As she watched her sister and new brother in law depart, Lily felt like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. True, Vernon was now part of her family, but the tradeoff was that she'd no longer have to live with Petunia, would no longer have to put up with her taunts and insults whenever she came home from Hogwarts. Lily smiled genuinely for the first time that day; finally, after loads of pink taffeta, bridesmaid dresses with arse-eating bows, months of bad moods and minor disasters, and worst of all, Vernon, something good was coming of this wedding.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily was still in an excellent mood two days later when she met Alice, Morwenna, Kathleen, and Dorcas in Diagon Alley to go dress robe shopping. She was in such a fabulous mood, in fact, that the entire wedding and disastrous tea with James seemed much funnier than they had previously, and her friends were in stitches as she told them about her holidays thus far.  
  
The five girls were bubbling over with good humor and nerves as Morwenna's New Year's party was in only two days' time. Morwenna was desperately excited to finally be allowed to attend one of her parents' posh New Year's balls after years of watching them from upstairs. Alice was excited to go to one of the Marchbankses' elegant parties after hearing so much about them from her parents and brother but was also extremely apprehensive about finally meeting Frank's formidable mother. Dorcas was looking forward to seeing some of the most prominent witches and wizards in the wizarding world and nervous for that same reason. Kathleen was both dreading and looking forward to seeing Remus again and giving him the answer she had promised him. Lily had never attended any sort of wizard gathering outside of Hogwarts and was both looking forward to and anxious about this party, especially since she was going to meet James' parents and the fiasco with her own family was still fresh in her mind.  
  
At Madam Malkin's, Morwenna and Alice, who already had their dress robes, threw themselves wholeheartedly into finding robes for Lily, Kathleen, and Dorcas, all of them plying Morwenna with one question after another.  
  
By the time the five girls emerged with satisfactory dress robes, it was getting a bit late and they didn't have much time before they were due at home. After making quick stops at the shoe store and a jeweler's, it was time to go.  
  
"Sure you're all right, Lils?" Morwenna asked. She and Kathleen, who had arrived from her home in Ireland just yesterday and was staying with her for the rest of the holidays, were meeting her parents in Flourish and Blott's and Alice and Dorcas, who was staying with the Prewetts, were meeting her brothers at Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlor. So only Lily had to go back to The Leaky Cauldron and through into Muggle London to meet up with her dad.  
  
"I'll be fine," Lily reassured her friend with a smile. "See you lot day after tomorrow!" The rest chorused good-byes to her before going their separate ways.  
  
Lily walked briskly through Diagon Alley, intrigued, as always, by the fascinating and unusual shops all round her. As she drew closer to The Leaky Cauldron, Lily caught sight of a side street she hadn't really noticed before. Knockturn Alley, the sign said. Curious, Lily started round the corner.  
  
* * *  
  
Severus Snape sat in the window in The Leaky Cauldron, nursing a butterbeer. A people watcher by nature, Snape was well entertained by the passing shoppers and had been for a few hours now. Snape had taken to spending a good deal of his time away from his home over the holidays. It had never been a particularly pleasant place to be at the best of times, but now that he was in the Dark Lord's service, Snape found it nearly unbearable. There were constant messages and visitors with invitations to participate in all of the usual Muggle-baiting, Mudblood torture, and general mayhem that the other Death Eaters found so enjoyable. Snape accepted some of these invitations, knowing all too well how a fragile a thing the Dark Lord's trust was and how literally lethal it would be to fall into his poor graces. But Snape didn't enjoy these pursuits as the others did and this, Snape knew, was perceived as a lack in him.  
  
Any important summons, such as those from the Dark Lord himself, would be able to find him no matter where he was; that was what the Dark Mark was for, after all, and if the Dark Lord wanted to see him privately he sent a certain eagle owl to Snape with a message. These were the ones Snape knew he could not miss, but the best way to avoid these more trivial ones was to stay away from home, so Snape did so as much as possible.  
  
Despite his reluctance to engage in the usual activities the Dark Lord's followers favored, Snape seemed to be gaining a special place in the Dark Lord's trust. There had been a few private summons now, and Snape would Apparate to the specified location where he and the Dark Lord would discuss or conduct experiments pertaining to their shared obsession: immortality. Due to these private sessions, Snape perceived that the Dark Lord regarded him in a special light, almost as a student or protege. The two shared a keen intelligence and viewed the world in similar ways, which led to an understanding between them. As a result, Snape was being entrusted with more and more secrets and special tasks and he felt as though he were drowning under the weight of them. He respected his lord's intelligence, had a healthy admiration for his abilities, and understood and shared his obsession with eternal life, but Snape had grown weary with most of his leader's practices and ambitions. All of this baiting and torture was unnecessary and pointless as far as Snape was concerned and he privately felt that this thirst for power was consuming the Dark Lord, making him reckless and perhaps even ebbing away at his sanity. No, nothing was as it used to be, nor was anything the way Snape had expected, and he didn't know how he fit into this unexpected world.  
  
Something red out on the street caught Snape's eye and he turned to see Lily Evans rounding the corner into Knockturn Alley. Foolish move; Knockturn Alley was one of the last places a Mudblood should go unescorted. Snape debated. He could go and warn Evans before something happened to her or he could stay out of it and stay in the Dark Lord's good graces. The choice was obvious.  
  
But then, Evans WAS a Mudblood; it was entirely possible that no one had ever warned her about the dangers of Knockturn Alley and its inhabitants. And Evans wasn't actually a bad sort, for a Mudblood Gryffindor. True, she had abysmal taste in boyfriends and a habit of being a bit too proud and stubborn for her own good, but Snape had a long memory and never could he recall Lily Evans ever laughing or even just standing back and saying nothing whenever Potter and his lot or any of the others had teased and taunted him; she always told them to stop, no matter what she thought of him personally or what it cost her to speak up.  
  
Snape gave himself a mental shake; why on earth was he thinking that he owed Lily Evans anything; she was just a Mudblood, after all, and was dating Potter into the bargain. If something happened to her it would be through her own stupidity and ignorance of the wizarding world, nothing more.  
  
But then, Snape considered, an attack on Evans could actually be quite detrimental to the Dark Lord's efforts; Evans was a Mudblood but an influential one. She was Head Girl and a special pet of Dumbledore's, and Snape had noticed that the Dark Lord did go to some effort to avoid a direct confrontation with Dumbledore. It seemed that the rumors that Dumbledore was the only wizard the Dark Lord feared had some truth to them. And James Potter was head over heels for Evans; an attack on her would incur the further wrath of the very influential Potter family. Really Snape would be aiding the Death Eater's cause by warning Evans.  
  
His decision made, Snape rose and strode purposefully out of The Leaky Cauldron.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily rounded the corner into Knockturn Alley cautiously, curious but slightly hesitant. She'd been in the wizarding world long enough to know that it probably wasn't a spectacular idea to go off to a place she'd never heard of by herself, but honestly, she was in a crowded public place in broad daylight. She would be all right for ten minutes.  
  
She was wandering toward some shops on the left side of the street when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Startled, Lily spun round to find herself face to face with Severus Snape.  
  
Oh Merlin, Lily thought. He really is a Death Eater and now he'll probably kill me or sacrifice me to Voldemort or something.  
  
"Evans," Snape was as impassive as ever. "What are you doing in Knockturn Alley?"  
  
"I fail to see why that's any of your affair, Snape," Lily eyed him levelly. Snape sighed in faint irritation, annoyed both with Evans and with himself. Couldn't she see he was trying to prevent her from an unpleasant fate? Snape had had little social experience with those outside his House and other Death Eaters and such; he'd never spoken to a Mudblood civilly in his life and really didn't know how to communicate with one. He'd never really felt the lack of this until now.  
  
"You're correct, it isn't my affair," Snape returned crisply. "I was merely curious as to why a Mudblood such as yourself would be venturing straight into the lion's den, so to speak. Or were you not aware that Knockturn Alley must be the most dangerous place in London for a Mudblood to go surrounded by a team of Hit Wizards, let alone unescorted?"  
  
"No, I was not aware," Lily's eyes flashed menacingly. "Thank you so much for informing me. Now, have you come to escort me directly to Voldemort for execution, or should I wait in the queue like everybody else?"  
  
"Very clever," Snape was a bit amused in spite of himself. "I had simply planned on escorting you to a safe place, but if you'd rather stay here I have little doubt that a meeting with He Who Must Not Be Named might easily be arranged."  
  
"I don't need your help," Lily replied stiffly. "I'm perfectly capable of finding my way back to Diagon Alley, and besides, it's not as though anyone here would recognize my bloodlines on sight anyway."  
  
"There are those who know who you are," Snape stated simply. "And they wouldn't hesitate to hurt you. Public place or not, the Death Eaters have friends and allies here who wouldn't intervene and might even encourage them."  
  
Lily shuddered slightly, defeated. Snape was right, and maybe he really was just trying to help her. Snape wasn't the worst of the Slytherins, Lily knew from long experience. He wasn't deranged like Bellatrix and Lestrange or mindlessly cruel like so many of the others. And if he tried anything, she'd be sure to have her wand ready.  
  
"All right then," Lily conceded grudgingly, and immediately Snape turned, pushing her slightly and none too gently ahead of him, and began striding purposefully out of Knockturn Alley.  
  
"Where is it that you're going?" Snape asked, keeping up the brisk pace.  
  
"I'm meeting - someone - in front of the shop next to The Leaky Cauldron," Lily replied hesitantly. In case Snape was like the rest of the seventh year Slytherins, she had no intention of admitting that she was meeting her father.  
  
"There isn't a shop next to The Leaky Cauldron," Snape was, as always, impatient with stupidity and with Evans' poor attempt to conceal who she was meeting. He sighed. "What's the name of the place you're supposed to be meeting Potter at?"  
  
"I never said I was meeting James Potter, and yes there IS a shop next to The Leaky Cauldron, on the Muggle side," Lily was equally as impatient with Snape's assumptions and condescension.  
  
Instead of answering, Snape picked up the pace, irritated at himself this time. His assumptions had indeed made an ass of him this time. But Mudbloods were notorious for not knowing where they were going or whether or not they ought to be going there, or so it had seemed.  
  
When he reached The Leaky Cauldron, Snape stopped. "You ought to be safe enough now, so I'll leave you here," he informed Lily stiffly.  
  
"Thank you for your help," Lily offered Snape a small smile. "I didn't realize Knockturn Alley was so dangerous."  
  
"Just remember not to go wandering in places you know nothing about in the future," Snape replied curtly, surprised in spite of himself. It wasn't very often among his peers that someone said thank you. In Slytherin House, virtually any deed that benefited someone else benefited the person doing the deed as well. Expressing gratitude was a social grace, something one said to one's elders to be polite and didn't bother with in informal circumstances or when among one's peers; it would simply be artificial anyway, to say something you didn't mean. But Lily Evans appeared to be sincere, and Snape didn't quite know how to handle it.  
  
"I suppose I'll see you round, then," Lily looked at Snape expectantly. Snape merely returned the stare. Why waste breath on making some inane, insincere farewell with artificial promises to see this Mudblood soon when they both knew it wasn't true?  
  
"Er - well - I'd best be on my way," Lily smiled at Snape again, a bit embarrassed now.  
  
Snape watched, curious, as Lily tapped the bricks to open the wall to Muggle London, a world Snape knew nothing of firsthand but one he had always heard referred to as an inferior, filthy, and ignorant place that produced inferior, filthy, ignorant people.  
  
But Lily Evans didn't seem to wash with any of those descriptions; she seemed just the opposite of the quintessential Mudblood, in fact, intelligent, witty, proud, and pleasant. If Snape hadn't known exactly who and what she was, he would never have guessed. She seemed no different from a pureblood witch, really, and actually had better sense than a good number of them.  
  
"Good bye," Snape surprised himself by saying, as Lily was about to go on her way.  
  
"Good bye," Evans sounded rather surprised herself but was pleasant in spite of it. She stepped out into Muggle London, making sure that her wand was securely in her pocket. "Thanks again," she added as she moved away, tossing Snape a brief but genuine smile over her shoulder.  
  
Snape watched her go as the wall began to close, still highly curious. Lily Evans did not fit with anything he'd heard all his life about Mudbloods. And really, Snape reminded himself, he knew very little about them, having never come into contact with one on an individual basis before, so he didn't even know if Evans was some sort of exception.  
  
Now that he had time to consider it, Evans was actually quite pleasant. It was simple enough to talk of exterminating Mudbloods and purging the wizarding race when you didn't know one personally but Snape found it rather difficult not to think of Lily Evans as a person.  
  
Shaking himself, Snape tried to get hold of his thoughts. Feelings and sentiments like these would not be permitted inside the Dark Lord's inner circles. Period. He was in a precarious position already; he didn't need any rumors of some sort of friendship with a Mudblood to finish him off.  
  
Still, his encounter with Lily Evans had left him with dozens of questions, questions he couldn't seem to get out of his head.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note:  
  
I don't have much time, but I thought I'd post the story now and keep the author's note really short. Thanks for the reviews, everyone, especially to gruftschnitte. I'll have the next chapter up in the next few days; enjoy the holiday season till then. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review! 


	30. New Year's Eve

Chapter 29 New Year's Eve  
  
Lily craned her neck, trying to see her reflection in the mirror over her shoulder. She was quite nervous, actually; she'd never worn dress robes before and she just hoped that she looked all right. Not much help for it now though really. James was due to pick her up in half an hour for the Marchbankses' New Year's Eve party, so if something was wrong with her appearance, there wasn't time to fix it anyway. She'd just have to hope it was ok.  
  
Checking herself in the mirror one last time, Lily looked nervously round her room for something else to do. Not able to find anything immediately, she sat down on her bed, twisting her fingers in her lap nervously.  
  
Tonight she'd be meeting Mr. and Mrs. Potter, who, besides being her boyfriend's parents, were also very well known and influential in the wizarding community. Lily couldn't ever remember being quite so nervous about meeting anyone in her life.  
  
On top of that, Lily was very apprehensive about her first-ever social function in the wizarding world. She just hoped that she wouldn't make some sort of ghastly faux pas unknowingly. Sure, she'd been to parties that her parents and their friends and acquaintances had thrown, but what if some things were different in the wizarding world?  
  
The chime of the doorbell startled Lily out of her thoughts. If that was James, he was fifteen minutes early, she noted with amusement as she checked her clock. Sure enough, she could hear James' familiar voice in the hallway, talking with her parents.  
  
Glancing at her hair and robes one last time, Lily took a deep breath and made her way down the stairs, sincerely hoping that she'd enjoy tonight as much as she wanted to.  
  
* * *  
  
James stood in the foyer of the Evanses' London house, making nervous conversation with Lily's parents and housekeeper, fully aware that he was fifteen minutes early. He'd tried to wait until seven-thirty, really he had, but he just hadn't been able to wait any longer. He would've been a whole half-hour early if he'd come in straight away, but being a half-hour early would just have been silly. So he'd waited around for what had apparently been only fifteen minutes, even though it had felt like forever. In fact, James had been afraid that he was late and that Lily might think he was standing her up, so he'd panicked and rushed to the Evanses' house, unaware of the time until he checked the hall clock. Why in hell hadn't he thought to put on a wristwatch?  
  
Normally for parties like this, James would've put on his dress robes and attempted, at his mother's insistence, to tame his hair about fifteen minutes before they were due to leave. But James had started getting ready an hour ahead out of sheer nerves, despite Sirius' amusement at his expense and merciless teasing. Ready forty-five minutes early, James had waited about before deciding that it might take a bit longer to get to the Evanses' house than the twenty minutes it had taken him last time, so he'd asked the driver of the Ministry car his dad had ordered for him if they could leave early. And, well, here he was.  
  
James tried to pay attention to what Mr. and Mrs. Evans and Nora were saying, but he was wondering where Lily was. He hoped she hadn't decided to go to Morwenna's without him or something.  
  
"Oh, Lily!" Mrs. Evans exclaimed, breaking off the question she had been asking James about Quidditch. "You look beautiful!" James turned slowly around and almost tripped over his own two feet at the sight. Recovering his balance, James simply gawked at Lily as she made her way down the stairs.  
  
She was without a doubt the most beautiful thing James had ever seen in his life. She was wearing green robes that matched her eyes perfectly and - well - James didn't know exactly what she had done to make herself look even more fantastic than usual, but whatever it was, it had caused the usual gymnastics in James' stomach to escalate to new heights.  
  
Lily stepped off the last stair, a self-conscious smile on her face. "Hi, James," she greeted, feeling a bit awkward when he remained speechless.  
  
James finally noticed that everyone was looking at him expectantly. Wondering exactly how long they'd been waiting for him to say something, he cleared his throat. "Hello, Lily," James expelled a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Lily grinned. Out of the corner of his eye, James noticed that Mr. and Mrs. Evans seemed rather amused and Nora was looking a bit nostalgic.  
  
"Let's go, shall we?" James suggested in what he hoped was the nonchalant tone of a person who hadn't been berefted of speech by their gorgeous girlfriend for the last five minutes.  
  
"Right," Lily replied happily. She turned to kiss her parents and Nora good bye and collected her handbag. James offered her his arm, rather gallantly he thought, and Lily took it, torn between feeling touched and the urge to giggle.  
  
"Lily, let me take one picture before you go!" Mrs. Evans exclaimed. Several pictures and good byes later, Lily and James were finally in the car that had been waiting patiently out front.  
  
"Finally!" Lily exclaimed, turning toward James, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I started getting a bit nervous that we'd be late when Mum started talking about posing us in the garden."  
  
"Yeah," James managed a grin, still finding it a bit hard to believe that Lily was real, she looked so perfect. "Lily, you look -AMAZING - and I just wanted - I mean - WOW," he finished earnestly. Smooth, James told himself disgustedly. Really brilliant.  
  
"Thank you, James!" Lily exclaimed, clearly delighted. James relaxed a little. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as he'd thought.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily attempted to quell the butterflies in her stomach as she swept into the Marchbankes' house with James. After all, she reminded herself, she'd been to smart parties before.  
  
Once she saw the ballroom below, however, Lily stopped short, completely unprepared for the sight. She'd never been to a party like this one.  
  
Hundreds of candles floated gently all round and above the enormous room. The walls were still festooned with Christmas garlands, and in one corner of the room an orchestra of self-playing instruments were just striking up a new song. Witches and wizards clad in dress robes of every possible color were chatting in low voices or dancing or sampling the food and drink that drifted slowly through the crowd on trays. It was the most amazing party Lily had ever seen in her life.  
  
Snapping out of it, Lily moved forward with James to greet their hosts. James introduced Lily first to Mr. Marchbanks, a very distinguished- looking wizard who worked with his father at the Ministry, and then to Mrs. Marchbanks, an elegant witch who bore a striking resemblance to her daughter Morwenna. Any fears Lily might have had about being a Muggle born witch in a room full of purebloods were immediately put to rest by Morwenna's parents, both of whom were delighted to finally meet this friend of Morwenna's that they had heard so much about. And, Mrs. Marchbanks had whispered in Lily's ear, she had been dying to meet the witch that James Potter was so head over heels for.  
  
Feeling much more at ease, Lily moved down the line to greet Morwenna, who was standing next to her parents with her grandmother. "Lily! You made it!" Morwenna exclaimed. She was clearly in her element.  
  
"Thanks so much for inviting me," Lily hugged her friend. "You look gorgeous, by the way."  
  
"As if any of us could hold a candle to you," Morwenna waved off Lily's compliment with a smile. "I'm sure James would agree with me," she added innocently, her lips twitching as she watched James regarding his date with a mixture of incredulity and exhilaration, as though she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen but couldn't quite believe that she was there with him.  
  
"So can you believe it, James?" Morwenna asked, making James jump.  
  
"Er - what?" James asked confusedly.  
  
"That we're finally attending one of my mum and dad's New Years' parties, of course!" Morwenna rolled her eyes at him, smiling.  
  
"Oh, right," James was nonchalant. "Yes, finally. Are my mum and dad here yet, by the way?"  
  
"Not yet," Morwenna shrugged. "But it's still early." She glanced over to her parents, who were greeting some new arrivals. "I'd better get back to it. But I'll see you both later, shall I?"  
  
After quickly greeting Morwenna's gran, Lily and James moved down the imposing staircase into the ballroom, scanning the crowd for familiar faces. After a few minutes of this, Lily and James began making their way slowly round the room, James pointing out celebrities, Ministry employees, and Aurors to Lily in a low voice.  
  
"See that crowd by the refreshments? That's Edgar Bones, great wizard, that one, his sister Amelia, next to her is Bartemius Crouch, he's Head of Magical Law Enforcement, which means he's in charge of the Aurors and the whole anti-Voldemort campaign, and that one drinking from a hip flask is Alastor Moody," James finished with a flourish.  
  
"Who?" Lily was still distracted by Bartemius Crouch. She'd never seen a more immaculate-looking person, Muggle or wizard, in her life, or a more formidable one. The odd thing was, she'd seen his son, Barty, at Hogwarts a few times and no one could have been less like the wizard she saw standing in front of her. Lily shuddered slightly; Crouch was intimidating to the point of being a bit scary.  
  
"Alastor Moody," James repeated, shocked that someone as seemingly well informed as Lily hadn't heard of him. "The famous Auror!"  
  
"Oh, right," Lily studied Moody with interest. He was a bit formidable himself, his face crisscrossed with scars, his mouth contorting interestingly as he sipped from whatever was in that hip flask. But he still, in Lily's mind, wasn't as frightening as Crouch.  
  
"Lily! James!" exclaimed a voice behind them, and they turned to see Alice, Gideon, and Fabian Prewett coming toward them, followed by Marlene and Andrew McKinnon and Dorcas.  
  
"Marlene!" Lily exclaimed excitedly, hugging her friend. "How's the baby?"  
  
"Brilliant, thanks," Marlene smiled widely. "Hello, James. Nice to see you again."  
  
"Hello, Marlene," James grinned at his former Quidditch teammate, aware that she was assessing whether or not she approved of him for Lily, who was, James remembered, one of her closest friends.  
  
Before he could think of anything really brilliant to win Marlene over with, he was drawn into a Quidditch conversation with Dorcas, Gideon, Fabian, and Andrew, who had been the Gryffindor team's captain before James.  
  
"Are Frank and his mother here yet?" Lily asked Alice.  
  
"Not yet," Alice pulled a face. "I'm genuinely terrified."  
  
"Mrs. Longbottom's not so bad once you get used to her," Marlene put in reassuringly, patting Alice's shoulder. "You'll do fine." Alice looked less than convinced, however.  
  
Several more current and former Hogwarts students migrated over to join their group, and soon Lily found herself surrounded by familiar faces and insider gossip.  
  
"Oi! Lils!" Alice hissed, poking her. Lily turned. "See that blonde girl sitting on the sofa over there? That's Narcissa Malfoy, Narcissa Black until about two months ago. She's Bellatrix Black's sister."  
  
Trying to be as nonchalant as possible, Lily glanced in the direction Alice had indicated, studying Narcissa intently. Bellatrix's sister was very pretty and was dressed in flattering pale blue robes, but she had one of the snootiest expressions on her face that Lily had ever seen. She and the blond man next to her, who she seemed to be with, were distinctly out of place; they didn't appear to know anybody.  
  
"Who's that she's with?" Lily wanted to know.  
  
"Lucius Malfoy, her husband," replied Morwenna, who had just come up behind Lily, her tone conveying her dislike. "And believe me, he's the only reason she was invited. Mum and Dad barely wanted to invite the Malfoys, at all, but the family's so old and they give so generously to St Mungo's that Mum didn't want to step on any toes. We were shocked when they actually accepted."  
  
Lily digested this information, continuing to watch Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy as they whispered to each other. Why would they come to a party where they so clearly felt awkward?  
  
"Hello, Lily," Lily turned to see Frank Longbottom smiling at her, a white-faced Alice next to him.  
  
"Hi, Frank," Lily returned the greeting warmly, noticing that both of Alice's elder brothers were watching him closely. "How's your holiday?"  
  
"Great, thanks," Frank grinned. "Glad you're here. Alice and I were just going to talk to my mum, so I guess we'll see you later."  
  
"Wait!" Alice blurted. "Lily wants to come too!"  
  
"What?" Lily and Frank said in perfect unison, Frank a bit confused, Lily a bit panicked.  
  
"Er - yes," Alice looked round her as though for help. "Lily really wants to meet your mum, don't you, Lils?"  
  
"Yes, yes I do," Lily said rather unconvincingly. "I've heard so much about her."  
  
"Why not?" Frank shrugged good-naturedly. "She actually mentioned wanting to meet you too, so I guess there's no time like the present." With that, he led the way to Mrs. Longbottom.  
  
"What in the bloody hell have you gotten me into?" Lily hissed at Alice as they made their way behind Frank.  
  
"Please, please, PLEASE come with me," Alice begged. "I'll owe you anything, just please come with me!"  
  
"All right," Lily sighed. "But if I need rescuing from James' parents, remember that you owe me."  
  
"Absolutely," Alice was relieved, which lasted only about another second as they got closer to Frank's mother. "Quick, do I look all right?"  
  
"Perfect," Lily smiled. "You'll be great, don't worry."  
  
The girls came to a halt next to a sofa, Frank in front of them.  
  
"Mum," Frank said, drawing Alice forward, who in turn latched onto Lily, "I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Alice Prewett, and her friend, Lily Evans."  
  
Mrs. Longbottom stood up briskly, adjusting her olive dress robes. "So this is the famous Lily Evans," she extended her hand graciously to Lily. "Frank has of course spoken of you. Congratulations on making Head Girl."  
  
"Thank you," Lily took Mrs. Longbottom's rather wrinkled hand. "I'm delighted to meet you as well, Mrs. Longbottom." This woman wasn't quite as scary as Lily had predicted, but she didn't exactly envy Alice either.  
  
"And you, my dear," Mrs. Longbottom had turned abruptly to Alice, " are a very elusive young lady. I've been wanting to meet you for some time now. Frank talks of nothing else, and if even half the things he says are true you must be a very extraordinary witch indeed."  
  
"Thank you," Alice smiled shamefacedly. "I'm sorry our meeting has been such a long time in coming."  
  
Mrs. Longbottom waved this away imperiously as though it couldn't possibly matter less. "Frank!" she said to her son rather sharply, causing Lily, Frank, and Alice all to jump. "Perhaps you could go and fetch us some drinks and we can all get to know each other a bit better."  
  
"All right," Frank replied easily. "I'll be back in a minute," he added to Alice, smiling at her. Lily watched Alice smile back at Frank and realized that her friend would be all right.  
  
"Thank you, but I won't be staying," Lily interjected smoothly. "I'd better be getting back to my own date. It was a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Longbottom."  
  
"Likewise," Mrs. Longbottom extended her hand again. Making her farewells, Alice promising meaningfully to see her later, Lily hurried across the room to where she had left James.  
  
The group she had left had remained more or less the same, except James now stood on the outskirts of it, talking to Sirius. This must mean, Lily realized with a nervous jolt, that Mr. and Mrs. Potter had arrived.  
  
"Lils!" Sirius exclaimed, grinning. "You look amazing!" he complimented, ignoring James' glower.  
  
"Er - thanks," Lily answered warily.  
  
"So," Sirius began conversationally, " How was your sister's wedding?" He grinned at the alarm that spread across James' face at this remark, as well as his frantic attempts to shut him up. "Nothing out of the ordinary happened, I hope?"  
  
"Now that you mention it - " Lily began.  
  
"Lily!" James exclaimed desperately. "My parents are here! Why don't we go and say hi?"  
  
"Er - ok," Lily managed, trying to take deep calming breaths. James breathed a sigh of relief. At least she wasn't going to shout at him about Petunia's beard here and now.  
  
"Lead the way," Sirius stood aside for James, giving him a sweeping bow, which was rather ruined when he yelped in pain as James kicked him in the shin for all his help.  
  
"We wouldn't want to keep you," James gritted sweetly between his teeth. "So many dark corners and girls, so little time."  
  
"No, no," Sirius insisted, his mouth twitching. "I feel a sudden urge to say hello to your parents as well."  
  
"Honestly James, let him tag along if he likes," Lily cut James off before he could open his mouth. Did they sincerely think she was too thick to pick up on their little game? "Just remember," Lily warned Sirius sweetly, "if you cock this up for me in any way you just may wake up tomorrow to find that certain parts of your anatomy are smaller than they used to be."  
  
Sirius recovered just in time to hurry after Lily and James before they disappeared into the crowd.  
  
* * *  
  
James led Lily over to a circle of very distinguished-looking witches and wizards. The snatches of conversation Lily caught from them wasn't the usual party chatter about the hors d'oeuvres and who was wearing what, it was about things like Wizengamot meetings and Ministry memos. Clearly these wizards and witches were high up in the Ministry and had more pressing concerns than hors d'oeuvres, concerns they couldn't put aside for even one night.  
  
"Mum," said James, poking a witch who had her back to Lily. "Dad - I've brought Lily to meet you." Excusing themselves, Mr. and Mrs. Potter turned around.  
  
"Lily," Mr. Potter extended his hand to Lily, smiling warmly. "Delighted to meet you at last."  
  
"Pleased to meet you," Lily replied, studying Mr. Potter. James would look exactly like his father in twenty or thirty years, that much was clear. James had inherited his untidy hair, tall thin frame, and facial features from his father; they really were remarkably alike. Also, Mr. Potter had the same air of confidence as his son, but while that confidence often made James arrogant, it made Mr. Potter seem capable. Lily could see why Mr. Potter was so important in the Ministry; he appeared, like James, that he could do anything you asked him to do and do it well.  
  
"Lily, you're as beautiful as James said you were, which is indeed saying something," Mrs. Potter offered Lily a warm smile and a handshake. "I'm so pleased to meet you. James talks of nothing else."  
  
"Mum," James muttered, embarrassed. Mrs. Potter raised a brow at him, smiling.  
  
"It's very nice to meet you too," Lily offered, returning Mrs. Potter's beam. James didn't look much like his mum, but they had the same smile. Except James' smile was about a hundred times more mischievous, not to mention arrogant. Mrs. Potter gave the impression of liveliness, but everything about her also suggested great patience to Lily. But then, Lily considered, you'd have to be patient, living with James Potter day in and day out. It was clear why Mrs. Potter was a success in the Ministry as well.  
  
Just as her parents had done, Mr. and Mrs. Potter asked Lily loads of questions, about herself, her family, school, her holidays. The Potters were better informed about the Muggle world than most, Lily noticed, and wondered why.  
  
"When did your sister get married?" Mrs. Potter asked Lily. They had moved away from the group Mr. and Mrs. Potter had been talking to and were sitting in a quieter corner away from the band.  
  
"She got married five days ago now," Lily replied cautiously, not meeting James' eye. This was dangerous ground.  
  
"Did you meet Lily's sister when you went to visit Lily, James?" Mr. Potter inquired of his son, who was suddenly a bit fidgety.  
  
"Er - yes, yes I did," James answered quickly, ignoring Sirius' smirk.  
  
"How did that go anyway, James?" Mrs. Potter frowned suspiciously. "You never did tell us about it."  
  
"It went very well," Lily put in suddenly. "My parents loved James, they really did. They want to have you back, in fact," she added to James.  
  
"Splendid," Mr. Potter gave James a knowing look. "Everything went smoothly then, did it?"  
  
"Absolutely," James gave his parents his most innocent smile as he elbowed a sniggering Sirius in the ribs.  
  
"And Lily's sister?" Mrs. Potter queried, wearing an innocent expression similar to James.' "You met her and her fiancé?" Lily fought the instinctive urge to cover her eyes.  
  
"Yes," James answered brightly. "They were really - er - enthusiastic people." Lily fought the urge to giggle as she remembered Vernon's purple- faced bellowing and her sister's glass-shattering shrieks. James' lips twitched as well and Sirius, unable to contain his laughter, tried to disguise it as a coughing fit.  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Potter exchanged glances. "All right," Mr. Potter sighed, folding his arms. "Let's have it. What did you do?"  
  
James cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "Well - " he began, and launched into the story, by the end of which both Mr. and Mrs. Potter were struggling to keep stern faces.  
  
"You didn't!" Mrs. Potter gasped as James finished with a description of the Beard-All Brew incident. "Right before the poor girl's wedding?"  
  
"Poor girl nothing," Sirius snorted, and James nodded his head vigorously.  
  
"Honestly, Mrs. Potter, don't feel too badly about Petunia," Lily said earnestly. "She and Vernon weren't exactly blameless you know."  
  
Mrs. Potter looked as though she was going to say more but another guest, who leaned to whisper in Mr. Potter's ear, interrupted them just then.  
  
"Please excuse us," Mr. Potter smiled at them all, but it was clear that all was not well. "Lily, it was a pleasure."  
  
"Hopefully we'll be able to talk later," Mrs. Potter added. She kissed James' cheek. "Try not to stimulate facial hair growth in anyone while we're gone. That goes for you too Sirius," she added as she kissed Sirius' cheek as well and shook Lily's hand one more time, clasping Lily's hand in both of hers.  
  
"It could have been worse," Sirius offered as soon as Mr. and Mrs. Potter were out of earshot. James just scowled and stared after his parents as they gathered with other Ministry officials, wondering what was wrong this time.  
  
* * *  
  
This latest crisis had depleted the party somewhat; all of the Aurors had had to leave and many of the high-ranking Ministry officials were closeted in the Marchbankses' library for the better part of an hour before they rejoined the party.  
  
Despite all of this, Lily was having a wonderful time, catching up with friends who had left Hogwarts and talking about holidays with the people in her year. Lily had noticed that James had seemed rather depressed when he'd thought his parents had to leave the party, but when he saw them reenter the room with the other Ministry officials, his spirits rose a bit.  
  
"Want to dance?" James asked Lily. Now that he knew his parents weren't embarking on some sort of life-threatening mission, he felt like he was at a party again.  
  
"Sure," Lily smiled at him brilliantly, causing the familiar flip- flop.  
  
They made their way to the dance floor, joining the other couples. After a few awkward steps, James and Lily found their rhythm and moved around the floor a bit more easily, talking and laughing as James pointed out more prominent witches and wizards.  
  
At five minutes to midnight, the floating trays brought out champagne and the dancing stopped as everyone turned toward the enormous gilded clock above the mantle piece. Carrying their champagne, Lily and James made their way over to Sirius, Dorcas, Peter, Alice, Frank, Morwenna, Remus, and Kathleen, who looked radiantly happy to be together again. They had been off together somewhere for most of the party, talking things out, as Kathleen put it, and had only rejoined everyone about half an hour ago. Lily smiled questioningly at Kathleen, who grinned broadly back at her. Lily widened her own smile, relieved that things seemed to have gone well.  
  
"One minute!" Morwenna exclaimed happily. James looked round for Lily, taking her hand. At ten seconds everyone began to count down.  
  
"Ten........Nine........Eight.........Seven....Six.....Five......."  
  
James smiled widely at Lily, ecstatic that after so many years of wanting to, he was finally going to kiss her at midnight.  
  
"Four......Three......."  
  
James leaned in and Lily, realizing what was coming, closed her eyes, grinning in anticipation.  
  
".......Two......One.........Happy New Year!"  
  
The guests turned to each other, clinking their glasses and wishing each other successful new years.  
  
"Happy New Year, mate," Sirius turned to clink glasses with James. "James? Jaaaames!"  
  
Lily and James broke apart, grinning stupidly.  
  
"Happy New Year, Sirius," James replied innocently.  
  
"Right," Sirius looked unimpressed by James' pure expression. "You've got lipstick smudges here and here," Sirius gestured to illustrate.  
  
"Thanks," James replied sheepishly, wiping his face off with the back of his hand as quickly as possible. Lily poked him in the ribs, gesturing to where Remus and Kathleen stood, still kissing.  
  
Lily and James smiled at each other. "Want to dance?" James asked, unable to keep a suggestive smirk off of his face.  
  
"Sure," Lily's own smile indicated that she took his meaning. Hand in hand, they set off, away from their kissing friends (Alice and Frank were in on the act too) to find a more private spot, namely anywhere away from Sirius and Peter.  
  
James and Lily were dancing slowly in between kisses when, suddenly, every candle in the room was extinguished, plunging the entire ballroom into darkness. Lily and James stopped, puzzled, looking round and listening to the puzzled buzzing of the other partygoers.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"You'd think they'd know enough to put an Everflame spell on the candles - "  
  
Then, as quickly as they'd gone out, the candles flickered to life, illuminating the room once more.  
  
Relieved, James turned to Lily to begin dancing again, but stopped when he saw her rigid and pale, staring fixedly upward. Confused, James followed Lily's gaze and felt his blood run cold.  
  
All round the railing above the main ballroom, figures in black hooded cloaks and white masks were positioned, their wands pointed down at the party, and more figures were filing down the staircase into the crowd.  
  
Death Eaters.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Happy New Year, everyone! Sorry this has taken me so long to do (and for the cliffhanger), but the next chapter should be up soon, tomorrow or the day after. Thanks to everyone for all the reviews, and special thanks to....oh sod it, special thanks to everyone; there were too many nice ones to name specific names.  
  
A quick note about a question I received; James didn't get a Ministry letter from the Improper Use of Magic Office after he StunnedVernon because he's 17 now, a legal adult in the wizarding world, so he can do magic away from Hogwarts now.  
  
Anyway, like I said, the next chapter will be up soon. Until then, enjoy and just hang in there! I really am sorry about the cliffhanger! 


	31. The Siege

Chapter 30 The Siege  
  
The Death Eaters swarmed into the party, and the screams from their first victims sounded throughout the room as the attacks began. Lily gradually became aware that someone was tugging at her arm and snapped out of her stupor.  
  
"Lily, come on!" James was near frantic. "Quick!" he added as Lily began to move with him. Hand in hand, they began to battle the panicked crowd, heading for the corner where they had left their friends. But most of the candles had been extinguished again, and it was slow going in the near-darkness, fighting the throng.  
  
James had never felt worse in his life; he was terrified for himself, his parents, his friends, and for Lily, maybe for her most of all. But he was basically powerless to do anything about any of it, and that was almost as frightening as the bloodcurdling screams coming from the other end of the room.  
  
Glancing frantically round for any sign of his parents, James wasn't watching where he was going very carefully. Suddenly he collided head on with something in front of him, the impact knocking him to the floor and wrenching his hand from Lily's as she fell too. Jumping to his feet, James drew his wand as quickly as he could, adrenaline and fear coursing through him.  
  
"James?" A familiar voice asked disbelievingly. James peered through the gloom at the figure still standing in front of him.  
  
"Sirius?" he finally exclaimed, incredulous. "Thank Merlin! Have you seen my parents? Where're Peter and Remus and everyone?"  
  
"I left Peter and Remus back there with the others," Sirius informed James. "I came to look for you."  
  
"My parents?" James repeated, relieved that his friends were all right for the moment. "Have you seen them?"  
  
"No," Sirius admitted. "But they're used to taking care of themselves. They'll be all right, mate," he added comfortingly, giving James' shoulder a brief squeeze. "Where's Lily?" Sirius asked then, looking round.  
  
James felt his blood run cold in his veins. "Sh - she was just here," he managed weakly, looking frantically round him. "Lily? LILY!" he called, his voice rising sharply in panic.  
  
"Prongs." James felt two steadying hands on his shoulders and looked wildly at his best mate. "We'll find her," Sirius said levelly, "the important thing is Not. To. Panic," he emphasized.  
  
Taking a deep breath, James willed himself into some semblance of calm. He didn't have time to panic when his girlfriend was missing in the midst of a Death Eater attack.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily had lost her hold on James' hand when they both fell to the floor. Unharmed, she had rolled out of James' way only to be stepped on by a panicked guest, which had knocked the breath out of her. The next thing she had known, she was flying across the room, slamming into a wall.  
  
Dazed and reeling from the searing pain of first her fall then her unexpected flight, Lily looked up to see a black-robed, masked Death Eater standing over her, grinning like a jack o' lantern in the flickering light.  
  
Hold on, Lily thought in surprise, feeling a flash of deja vu. She knew that catlike grin, had seen those psychotic eyes before with just that expression.  
  
It was Bellatrix Black.  
  
* * *  
  
James and Sirius made their way through the crowds once more, wands drawn. The Death Eaters had gained ground; the screams were much closer now. James ans Sirius were barely on the outskirts of the fighting anymore; soon the Death Eaters would reach them.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, James saw a fleeing woman tumble to the floor, a hooded figure closing in on her. "Stupefy!" he bellowed without thinking and watched the figure fall.  
  
"Nice one," Sirius was admiring.  
  
"Have you seen her?" James asked anxiously, ignoring his mate's compliment.  
  
"Not yet," Sirius wasn't quite as calm and confident anymore. In fact, he seemed close to hysteria himself. "But she's got to be here somewhere."  
  
"Sirius, we have to find Lily!" The note of panic had crept back into James' voice. "If it's dangerous for us it's a hundred times worse for her! If anything happens to her, I - "  
  
"Don't say it," Sirius cut him off sharply. "Don't even think it. This is us we're talking about here, the bloody best of the infamous Marauders. We WILL find her!"  
  
Taking a deep breath, James headed once more for the back corner of the room.  
  
* * *  
  
Realizing that she was in fact facing her enemy lit a fire under Lily. Determined, she struggled to her feet despite the pain and drew her wand, meaning business this time.  
  
"Time to meet your fate, Mudblood," Bellatrix hissed triumphantly, advancing.  
  
"Is that you, Black?" Lily feigned surprise, a hard edge to her voice. "I don't know why I should be so shocked, really. About this Death Eater thing, I mean. After all, you've got the right mixture of cowardice and insanity."  
  
Bellatrix's eyes flashed, but for once she remained calm. "Curious, Evans," she purred, inching forward. "That's just what that bitch Alice's parents said. About the cowardice, I mean," Bellatrix lowered her voice, gloating. "That's what they said before I killed them, but I think they just may have changed their minds at the very end."  
  
Lily felt the color drain from her face. She clenched her hands, willing herself to stay calm; she had to be calm if she was going to survive this. But suddenly a wave of pure rage washed over her. Without thinking anymore about it, Lily hurled an incantation at Bellatrix, slamming her back into the nearest wall.  
  
Shrieking her fury, Bellatrix moved swiftly forward, screeching her own incantation as she waved her wand at a tray of glasses. "Iaculo!"  
  
Lily covered her face as the glasses shattered against the wall behind her, spraying her with shards.  
  
"Impedimenta!" she tried, but Bellatrix only staggered slightly, cackling in triumph.  
  
"Is that your best, Mudblood?" she sneered. Doesn't speak too highly for sainted Dumbledore, now does it?"  
  
"Accio!" Lily pointed her wand at the rug under Bellatrix's feet. Bellatriz went flying, and the rug skidded to a neat halt at Lily's feet.  
  
"Cute, Mudblood," Bellatrix was on her feet again, her voice deadly in its calm. "Let's see how your juvenile little tricks measure up against this. Crucio!" she said almost lazily.  
  
Suddenly Lily's veins were on fire, the most intense pain she had ever felt in her life coursing through her body. She may have screamed, she didn't know. All she knew was the pain.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, the pain stopped and Lily rolled over weakly, her mind reeling, her body battered. She closed her eyes, afraid that she might be sick.  
  
"Did you enjoy that, Evans?" Bellatrix taunted, avidly taking in all the signs of Lily's suffering. "Fancy a bit more?"  
  
Lily's thoughts whirled in her head, desperately trying to decide what was best to do, how she could survive. Her limbs screaming with the effort, Lily raised her wand, pointing it at the nearby candles. "Nox," she whispered. The candles flickered, then died, plunging their corner of the room into darkness. Knowing that her advantage would last only a second or two, Lily scrambled to her hands and knees and crawled as fast as she could toward the little antechamber off the ballroom, staying close to the wall for support. Reaching the room, Lily crouched by the door, listening.  
  
"No fair, Mudblood," Bellatrix suddenly filled the door, pouting like a disappointed child. "Still, what more can you expect of your filthy kind? You crawl away in the darkness like the contemptible weakling you are rather than stand and face your attacker."  
  
"Takes one to know one," Lily managed to smile grimly.  
  
"Iaculo!" Bellatrix spat in response, hurtling Lily into the opposite wall. She landed with a sickening thud, the wind knocked from her.  
  
As Bellatrix advanced, prowling forward like a cat moving in for the kill, Lily tried to force herself to rise to at least her knees, but couldn't quite.  
  
"I'm getting bored," Bellatrix explained calmly, her smile bloodcurdling in its jubilation. "It's no fun to play with things when they're broken. Any last words, Mudblood?"  
  
"Yes," Lily managed to say in a somewhat even voice. "Romprio!" she bellowed, pointing her wand at the chandelier above. The rope severed obediently, dropping the chandelier right where Lily had intended, on top of Bellatrix.  
  
Crawling out of the mess, Lily leaned against the wall and pulled herself, panting, to a standing position and surveyed the damage. Bellatrix had apparently been knocked out cold by the impact; she lay motionless under the brass frame and broken candles.  
  
Lily was amazed; she never would have guessed that the chandelier would have rendered Bellatrix unconscious. This was a small room with a necessarily small chandelier; it was barely a quarter of the size of the enormous ones in the main ballroom. Lily had severed the rope to buy herself some time, to prevent Bellatrix from using the Killing Curse on her and maybe take her by surprise a bit, giving Lily a modicum of an advantage. But it was over. Lily had won, however narrowly. And Lily began to shake as she considered just how narrow that escape had actually been.  
  
"It was in here, Sirius! Someone brought down the chandelier.......Lily!" a familiar voice exclaimed. In a daze, Lily watched as James crossed the room and tensed with pain as he enveloped her in a huge hug, squeezing her painfully battered body. "Thank Merlin you're all right! What happened?"  
  
Lily took a deep breath and opened her mouth to tell him, but all that came out was a strangled "Ow!" James jumped back, looking horrified. As he slowly took in the fallen chandelier with the crumpled, black clad body under it and Lily's pale, shaken, pain-filled face crisscrossed with tiny lacerations from the broken glass, his face slowly drained of all color.  
  
"Lily," James said in a quieter, more urgent tone. "You have to tell me what happened. Who is that? Are you ok?"  
  
"Prongs!" Sirius had entered the room now. "I think it's gotten worse out there. There're more of them now, and our side is losing fast. We've got to get out of here - Lily!" Sirius noticed that James wasn't alone for the first time. "We've been looking everywhere for you! Come on, we've got to - " Sirius stopped abruptly as he saw the body on the floor and got a better look at Lily and James' faces. "What happened?" he asked, his face as solemn and tense as theirs now.  
  
"It - that's Bellatrix," Lily managed, forcing the quiver out of her voice. "She came after me, and I won. Just barely," she added, grimacing as she wiped at a trickle of blood that had been making its way down her face.  
  
Sirius and James digested this information silently. "Can you walk?" James asked finally. He looked positively sick.  
  
"Yes," Lily forced her voice to be matter-of-fact, even though the very idea of walking caused the bile to rise to her throat again. "I'll manage."  
  
James and Sirius eyed her skeptically, but just as James opened his mouth, Sirius began to speak. "I'll go and find the others," he said briskly, shooting James a look. "Why don't the pair of you wait here for us and then Morwenna can show us the quickest way out?"  
  
With that, Sirius hurried out of the room, casting one more worried glance over his shoulder.  
  
"Lily, tell me what happened," James asked again, and Lily slowly told him about her confrontation with Bellatrix, James interrupting her occasionally to ask questions.  
  
"What about you? Are you all right?" Lily studied James, who waved away her concern impatiently.  
  
"I'm fine," he replied firmly. "It's you I'm worried about."  
  
"What's going on now?" Lily asked worriedly. "Have the Death Eaters gone?"  
  
"Er - " James hesitated, not sure how to tell her. "It's actually gotten a bit worse," he admitted finally. "More have shown up. It's not like a typical attack for them; there are people here who are fighting back."  
  
"James - " Lily hesitated. "Mr and Mrs Prewett are dead. Bellatrix killed them; she told me."  
  
"Morwenna's mum and dad too," James sighed heavily. "Sirius and I saw them. We went all round the room looking for you, and we were helping where we could, but there were just too many, and the Marchbankses were already dead by the time we saw them. Killing Curse, I think," he added quietly.  
  
Lily and James stood silently for a few seconds, James holding Lily more carefully this time, as they listened to the sounds of the attack, the screaming and wailing and shouted incantations, coming from outside the room.  
  
"We've got to help them!" Lily said desperately.  
  
"No!" James exclaimed. "We've got to get you out of here! You're in no condition to fight anyone, let alone Death Eaters who are hell-bent on killing you."  
  
"I can't just listen to it," Lily's voice shook.  
  
"We'll get out of here and find help," James said firmly. "That's the best thing we can do, or that's what my mum and dad have always told me, at any rate," he finished sadly. "Get yourself out."  
  
Remembering his parents, Lily felt a pang of guilt. But before she could say anything, the sound of the door opening distracted them both.  
  
Turning, Lily and James expected to see Sirius slipping back into the room, hopefully with their friends and James' parents in tow. But it wasn't.  
  
Lily and James found themselves staring instead into the fathomless eyes of Lord Voldemort himself.  
  
* * *  
  
"What have we here?" Voldemort taunted in a high, cold voice, his amused, malicious eyes looking from one to the other. "Hiding, are we? That's not very courageous, is it now?" he chided. Lily felt the chills run up and down her back. What now?  
  
James turned to face Voldemort fully, wand pointed firmly at the Dark Lord, his face unwavering. He tried to keep Lily behind him, praying that Voldemort wouldn't know who she was and that he would see and be distracted by the unconscious form under the chandelier.  
  
Voldemort's eyes flicked to and finally settled on James. "You're the Potter boy," he said slowly, his smile widening. "Your dear parents have caused me no inconsiderable amount of annoyance, boy. It gives me great pleasure to contemplate how devastated they will be to learn of the death of their only son." Lily and James watched in fascinated horror as he raised his wand and opened his mouth.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" Lily shouted with all her might, and watched in shock as Voldemort's wand soared neatly through the air and into her hand; Lily nearly dropped it in surprise.  
  
"Well done," there was a note of amusement and something that might have been surprise in that chilling voice now. "But you see,"' Voldemort went on, still seemingly entertained, his voice taking on a mocking note, "you haven't even remotely inconvenienced me."  
  
Voldemort waved his arm, and Lily suddenly found herself spinning at a dizzying speed in midair, high above the floor.  
  
"Lesson one," Voldemort continued his taunting. "Not all magic begins and ends with a wand. Now," Voldemort lowered Lily and slowed the speed of her spinning, "shall we move on to lesson two?"  
  
Lily stared coolly back at Voldemort, then felt the invisible force that was spinning her move her higher and higher into the air until it suddenly let go and Lily dropped back to earth with a resounding thud.  
  
"Lily!" James exclaimed, unable to keep quiet any longer. He moved to where Lily had fallen, helping her to her feet.  
  
"Lily?" Voldemort inquired, his eyes sharpening. "As in Lily Evans, the Mudblood Dumbledore holds in such high esteem? You have made bitter enemies, Mudblood," Voldemort hissed, summoning his wand back to him with a mere flick of his fingers. "Bitter enemies who mean to send you back to the filthy hell you came from in pieces."  
  
James' hand tightened on Lily's arm, a silent signal. Not sure what exactly he meant to do, Lily tensed her body, preparing to run or give a hand or do whatever was necessary to ensure that they lived through this encounter.  
  
"Perhaps I shouldn't deny them the pleasure," Voldemort mused. "But then," he smiled mirthlessly, "why should I deny myself the pleasure either?" He raised his wand once more.  
  
"One of my 'bitter enemies' already tried to have the pleasure," Lily retorted disdainfully. "But as you can see," she gestured to Bellatrix's still-unconscious form, " the pleasure was all mine in the end."  
  
An odd expression passed over the Dark Lord's face as his eyes raked over the prostrate figure on the floor, searching for signs of life.  
  
This was all the opportunity James needed. "Conjunctio!" he cried, sending a well-aimed Conjunctivitis Curse into Voldemort's eyes, effectively blinding him. Wasting no time, James grabbed Lily's hand and practically dragged her into the main ballroom. James slammed the door shut behind them and quickly uttered the incantation for the best Sealing Charm he knew, which would of course be nothing but a minor irritation to Voldemort, but it would buy them a few seconds at least.  
  
"James!" Sirius exclaimed, and Lily and James turned to see Sirius leading Frank, Alice, Peter, Morwenna, and Dorcas toward them.  
  
"There's no time!" James shouted back frantically, motioning his friends away with his free hand. "Just bloody well run! We have to get out of here NOW!"  
  
Not needing any further encouragement, the seventh years followed Morwenna across the ballroom, allowing her to lead them to the best escape route.  
  
But it was too late. The Death Eaters had spotted them. Every Death Eater within hearing distance had abandoned their current victim and was making their way toward them. James glanced round wildly and realized with a start that they were some of the few left standing in the room.  
  
Rapidly the Gryffindors formed a circle, ensuring that none of the Death Eaters would be able to sneak up behind them and faced forward, wands drawn. Morwenna gave a little sob and Sirius growled low in his throat as they approached, coming closer and closer -  
  
Lily had to choke back her own sobs as she watched them coming. There were so many of them. Lily couldn't make out too many faces underneath the masks, but she was almost certain she saw Lestrange and Avery among them.  
  
Next too her, James gripped Lily's hand and gave it a quick squeeze, which Lily returned. There was some comfort in knowing that she would die with James beside her and her friends around her. At least she wasn't facing this alone.  
  
* * *  
  
James watched the Death Eaters come with the knowledge that there was nothing he could do to stop them, and he was filled with an impotent fury. He reached for Lily's hand and squeezed it, feeling his heart swell in his chest and the familiar flip-flop in his stomach as she returned it. He wished he could have told her that he loved her before they died. It was only a small comfort that they would die together; whatever the poets said, there was nothing romantic about dying young. James would have preferred living to a ripe old age any day. His one consolation was that he'd be able to take some of these Death Eaters with him.  
  
Suddenly Voldemort was there, and Bellatrix with him, looking indescribably excited by the scene in front of her. Voldemort laughed, causing the hackles to rise on the backs of the Gryffindors' necks.  
  
"Kill them," he hissed, remarkably snakelike, "but leave the red haired girl alive."  
  
Murmuring excitedly, the Death Eaters advanced with a bit more speed.  
  
BANG!  
  
The sound of the ballroom's main doors opening on one end of the room distracted everyone, and Lily could have sobbed with relief when she saw the Aurors filing down the stairs, wands drawn.  
  
The ballroom was filled with the sounds of battle once more, but this time it was a bit more evenly matched, with as many Death Eaters as Aurors falling to the floor.  
  
"Don't just stand there," a gruff voice near Lily's ear said. "let's get you lot out of here."  
  
Lily looked up to see Mad Eye Moody, looking gravely back down at her. He and two other Aurors she didn't know were rounding up the remaining survivors, preparing to get them out.  
  
"Miss Marchbanks," Moody barked, making Morwenna jump. "Which is the quickest way out of the house?"  
  
"I - I'll show you," Morwenna stammered, wiping her eyes and trying to compose herself. "This way!" she said with a bit more authority, running the rest of the way across the room. The others followed her hastily, almost desperate to get out of the ballroom.  
  
Outside were several more survivors, many being attended to by Healers. Lily watched as James, Sirius, Alice, Frank, and Morwenna began to scan the crowd for their families, hating the certainty that at least two of them wouldn't find them.  
  
"James!" A voice called across the crowd, and James looked round, his whole face lighting up at the sight of both of his parents standing near the edge of the lawn. Grabbing hold of Lily's hand and nudging Sirius, James dashed across the grass, dragging Lily behind him with Sirius at her heels. Once he reached his parents, James was immediately enveloped in simultaneous hugs while Sirius and Lily stood back, grinning. Her face tear-streaked, Mrs Potter pulled Sirius and Lily both forward, and it was some seconds before Lily stood back again to watch the Potters question James and Sirius with a thoroughness worthy of her own parents.  
  
Looking round, the smile on Lily's face faded away when she saw Alice standing with her brothers, her face frozen in horror, and Morwenna hugging her gran, her face crumpled in grief. Reality came crashing back on Lily; her entire body throbbed painfully, and she felt sick and exhausted and more than anything in her life she just wanted to go home to her own mum and dad.  
  
"Here, dear," Lily looked round at the kindly face of one of the Healers. "Let's see what's wrong with you." She began to examine Lily's various cuts and scrapes.  
  
James hurried over to Lily, the others close behind him, his face clouded with worry.  
  
"She'll be just fine," the Healer said to the assembled crowd, "but I think she ought to go to St Mungo's just to make sure." With that, the Healer conjured a stretcher and pushed Lily onto it.  
  
'No!" Lily exclaimed. "I'm all right, honestly. I just want to go home."  
  
"Where's home, exactly?" the Healer seemed skeptical, and when Lily gave her address she shook her head.  
  
"Muggle born, are you?" she asked knowingly, and Lily nodded. "I'm sorry dear, but I have strict orders not to let any of the victims go into Muggle London until further notice. We can't create an uproar and risk exposing ourselves to the Muggles, and besides, I really think you ought to go to St Mungo's."  
  
"We can take her," James protested, putting an arm protectively round Lily.  
  
"You could, but they aren't allowing any visitors at the moment for security reasons," the Healer was apologetic.  
  
James looked as though he were about to argue, but Lily put a hand on his shoulder. "It's all right, James. You should wait here to hear from Remus and Kathleen anyway," she said reassuringly. "Could somebody send an owl to my parents?"  
  
"Of course," said Mrs Potter warmly, her eyes still full of tears. "I expect we'll see you in a few hours then."  
  
After several minutes of goodbyes, Lily finally found herself in the ambulance with several others, speeding toward St Mungo's with a speed that put the Knight Bus to shame. Closing her eyes in exhaustion, Lily prayed that Remus and Kathleen had gotten out safely and that the Aurors had somehow managed to corner Voldemort before he got away.  
  
Voldemort. Lily shuddered at the thought of him but couldn't help remembering in spite of herself. His high, cold voice, his mocking words, his astonishing wandless magic and his suppressed jubilation at all the suffering around him.  
  
But I made it, Lily tolde herself firmly. James and I both did. We made it together.  
  
Somehow, as many times as she told herself this, Lily couldn't avoid the gut-wrenching feeling in the pit of her stomach that this was not the last time she would face the Dark Lord.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Yikes! Who knew people would be so upset about the cliffhanger? Again, I really am sorry about that; I simply didn't have time to write anymore and I felt the chapter should end there anyway. But I'm sorry for causing anxiety; this was a fairly quick update though at least, right?  
  
Thanks for all of the reviews, everyone, I really do appreciate them! It's great to know that people are reading/ enjoying my story. And just because I know I'll probably get questions about it, let me just say don't fear the worst for Remus and Kathleen (hint, hint). Sorry if you didn't want to hear that = )  
  
And, Iloveanimals, to answer your question, I'm nineteen years old. I don't know whether or not that qualifies as "really old" in your book, but I hope it comforts rather than depresses you.  
  
Anyways, an update is coming soon, and it'll hopefully be a bit lighter than this chapter (sorry it was so depressing, by the way). In the meantime, don't forget to review! 


	32. Reunion

Chapter 31 Reunion  
  
"There you are," the Healer said, tying off the end of Lily's bandage. Lily looked down at her swathed hand, grimacing. She'd actually been quite lucky that the Healer had managed to mend most of her cuts and it was just a few that had been deep enough to require bandages. And he'd knit together her ribs easily enough and had promised the pain from both the broken ribs and the Cruciatus Curse would fade in a few days. All in all she'd been very lucky.  
  
She just wished he'd quit staring at her with that half-pitying, half- curious expression. The Healer was dying to ask her what had happened to her during the attack, she could tell, but Lily didn't want to talk about it yet with anyone, let alone with some Healer she'd never seen before.  
  
"They aren't letting any visitors into the hospital right now for security," the Healer continued. "So your family should be in the waiting area they've set up outside. I'll just walk you out so they can sign the release forms." They stood up to go, Lily wincing slightly, but before they could leave the sight of two official looking wizards moving toward Lily purposefully distracted them.  
  
"Are you Lily Evans?" the older one asked as they stopped in front of Lily. At Lily's nod, the wizard continued: "I'm Edgar Bones, and this is my associate Kingsley Shacklebolt. We're Aurors taking part in the investigation into the attack that took place last night at the Marchbankses' party, and we wondered if we might ask you a few questions."  
  
Lily studied the two Aurors closely. Edgar Bones had been at the party last night if she remembered correctly. "Er - all right," Lily answered them finally.  
  
"Excellent," Edgar Bones said kindly. "If you'll follow us, we'll find somewhere to chat privately."  
  
The two Aurors led Lily into someone's vacated office and shut the door behind them. Once inside, they asked Lily to give them her version of last night's events.  
  
"Miss Evans," Bones consulted his notes as Lily finished her story. "We've already spoken with several of the people who were with you during the last part of the attack last night, namely Dorcas Meadows, James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and Frank Longbottom, and they all mentioned that Voldemort specifically gave orders to kill all of them but to leave you alive. Do you have any idea why he said that?"  
  
"None at all," Lily answered truthfully. "Unless it was something to do with Bellatrix. He seemed rather specially - fond of her, for lack of a better word."  
  
"That was another question we wanted to ask you, Miss Evans," Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke up in a surprisingly deep voice. "Can you positively identify that Bellatrix Black was one of the masked Death Eaters who took part in last night's attacks?"  
  
"It was definitely her," Lily confirmed darkly. "That was her voice I heard, and her way of speaking. I've come into contact with Bellatrix often enough to recognize both."  
  
Bones and Shacklebolt exchanged glances, trying to keep their expressions carefully neutral, but Lily could tell that her testimony had pleased them a great deal.  
  
They asked Lily countless other questions, taking copious notes all the while, and finally told Lily that it was very likely that one of their superiors would contact her later in the week.  
  
"Thanks for all your help, Miss Evans," Kingsley Shacklebolt offered her his hand.  
  
"We'll be in touch," Edgar Bones added.  
  
With that, the two Aurors left the hospital as suddenly as they had entered it.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily emerged from St Mungo's hospital a few minutes later, still stiff and aching and exhausted and now worried on top of it, and scanned the makeshift waiting area outside for familiar faces, the Healer who had treated her standing with her. The small space was crammed with anxious looking witches and wizards, all of whom were waiting for news.  
  
"Lily!" someone cried, and Lily looked up to see her parents hurrying toward her looking as upset as she had ever seen them.  
  
"Oh, Lily!" Tears streamed down Mrs. Evans' face as she embraced her daughter. "I've never been so worried in all my life!"  
  
"Are you all right, darling?" Mr. Evans added anxiously.  
  
"Er - yeah," Lily replied rather tightly. Her parents' rapturous hugs were squeezing her still-painful ribs. Over her father's shoulder Lily caught sight of James and Sirius, both grinning broadly, Mr. and Mrs. Potter behind them.  
  
"You're sure you're ok?" James put in anxiously as Lily hugged him, careful not to squeeze her too hard. She looked terrible; she was still pale and dotted with tiny cuts, and there were dark circles under her eyes.  
  
"Oh, Lily's healed up nicely," put in the Healer. "She had a few broken ribs that we mended, and some cuts from the broken glass. We healed up the smaller ones but some of the larger have been bandaged," he indicated Lily's bandaged hands, "And, of course, the aftereffects of the Cruciatus Curse are a bit painful, but that should fade away in a day or two."  
  
Everyone but Mr. and Mrs. Evans looked down awkwardly, not quite sure what to say or where to look.  
  
"Well," the Healer put in after a moment, breaking the silence. "I must be getting back, so if Lily's parents could just sign this release form - " he looked about uncertainly, beaming when Mr. Evans took the form from him and signed it. "Thank you. I'll be on my way now."  
  
"And we'd best be going," Mr. Evans added. "Lily looks exhausted." He extended his hand to first Mrs. Potter, then to Mr. Potter, Sirius, and James in turn, and Mrs. Evans did the same.  
  
"We'll see you in the next day or two," James whispered as he hugged Lily good bye and kissed her cheek.  
  
"I'd love that," Lily smiled and returned his kiss. "Bye, James."  
  
The drive home passed by in a blur for Lily, and as soon as the car stopped she went straight upstairs, peeled off her ruined dress robes, fell into bed, and slept for the next day and a half.  
  
* * *  
  
The first sound to enter Lily's consciousness was the buzz of voices in the sitting room below. Rolling over, Lily consulted her bedside clock. Two-thirty. The sun outside her window told her which two-thirty it was. Slowly, Lily sat up, wincing over the lingering soreness in her limbs, and pulled on some clothes before making her way downstairs to find out where the noise was coming from.  
  
The voices grew louder as Lily stopped outside the sitting room and pushed the door open. "Lily darling!" Mrs. Evans greeted her daughter warmly. "You have visitors," she added unnecessarily, gesturing.  
  
There, gathered round the room, were James, Sirius, Mr. and Mrs. Potter, Peter, Dorcas, and -  
  
"Kathleen! Remus!" Lily exclaimed as they rose to their feet to hug her. "I was so worried when we didn't - Thank Merlin you're all right," Lily finished, wincing slightly as Kathleen embraced her.  
  
"Thank Merlin YOU'RE all right!" Kathleen exclaimed. "Is it true? Did Voldemort really attack you?"  
  
Lily glanced round at her parents, both of whom looked more thana bit confused and worried. Intercepting the look, Mrs. Potter stood up. "Perhaps there's somewhere my husband and I could speak to you privately," she suggested to Mrs. Evans. "You must have loads of questions, and we would be happy to answer as many as we can for you."  
  
"Yes," replied Mrs. Evans faintly, forcing a smile to her face. "Yes, I think that might be a good idea."  
  
The four adults exited the sitting room, Mr. and Mrs. Evans still obviously quite concerned. "Behave yourselves!" Mr. Potter warned James and Sirius cheerfully on his way out, causing everyone to laugh.  
  
"Perhaps I ought to go with them," Lily moved toward the door, but James stopped her.  
  
"Let Mum and Dad sort them out," James advised. "They brought papers and everything for your parents, and nobody knows more about Voldemort than they do."  
  
The word "Voldemort" caused more than one flinch round the room, but no one chose to comment on it.  
  
"So what happened to you?" Lily asked Remus and Kathleen. "We were so worried when we didn't see you outside."  
  
Remus and Kathleen exchanged a glance for a moment. "We were incredibly lucky," Remus said finally, launching into the story.  
  
"Kathleen and I were - standing a bit apart from everyone else when the Death Eaters struck," Remus began, shooting a filthy look at Sirius when he snorted. "And with everyone panicking, we got separated from the others and decided the best thing to do was to find our own way out."  
  
"We weren't sure if there was some other way out if the Marchbankses' house from the ballroom, so we started to make our way back to where we'd left everyone," Kathleen put in. "Then we ran into Wilkes."  
  
"Or we're fairly sure it was him," Remus put in grimly. He showed them all a long gash on his arm that had, from the looks of it, been treated by a Healer. "Either way, it was close," he added unnecessarily.  
  
"How did you get past him?" Sirius wanted to know.  
  
Remus smiled ruefully. "Kathleen hit him over the head with a champagne bottle while he was coming after me."  
  
"You were distracting him," Kathleen amended firmly, grinning. Sirius, James, and Peter all sniggered.  
  
Shooting his mates a filthy look, Remus went on. He and Kathleen had gone to the corner of the room where they had all been standing at midnight, but nobody had been there. Then they'd noticed Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy hurrying toward the ballroom's main staircase. Since they looked as though they knew where they were going, Remus and Kathleen had decided to follow and see if they knew how to get out.  
  
"But they weren't trying to get out," Remus said grimly. "They were letting someone in."  
  
"More Death Eaters," Kathleen supplied.  
  
Remus and Kathleen had watched as the Death Eaters guarding the stairs stood aside to let them pass, then Lucius and Narcissa had let the second wave of Death Eaters into the ballroom.  
  
"Why couldn't they just walk in? Or Apparate for that matter?" Lily wanted to know.  
  
"Most wizards have spells on their houses to keep uninvited guests from Apparating in," Remus explained. "That's why no one could Disapparate from the ballroom either. You have to be let in or out." He and Kathleen exchanged a glance before Remus continued with the story.  
  
Mrs. Marchbanks had spotted Remus and Kathleen crouched behind a sofa, watching the Malfoys let the Death Eaters in. She had explained to them how to get out of the house through one of the rooms off of the ballroom and told them to take some Floo powder from the jar on the mantle and go find help. Remus and Kathleen had run to find the powder and had been about to make their way to the room when a loud noise had distracted them. Looking round, they had caught sight of the Marchbankses across the room.  
  
"Mr. and Mrs. Marchbanks were trying to hold off the Death Eaters as they came into the ballroom," Remus said. "They and a few others were dueling with some of them when Lucius Malfoy came down the stairs. I thought he was coming to help them, but all of the Death Eaters stood aside for him and the next thing I knew, he had drawn his wand, there were two flashes of green light, and Mr. and Mrs. Marchbanks were lying dead on the floor."  
  
After a moment of stunned silence, Remus continued the story. He and Kathleen had made their way out of the Marchbankses' house then and had run to the house next door, which belonged to one of the party guests, and had taken the Floo network to the Ministry.  
  
After Remus had finished, everyone sat silently for a few moments, absorbing the shock. None of them could believe it; Mr. and Mrs. Marchbanks had been killed not by the uninvited, anonymous Death Eaters that had attacked their party but by someone they had invited there who had turned out to be a Death Eater as well. It gave Lily an unsettled feeling; who else at that party had been a Death Eater in disguise?  
  
"What about you?" Dorcas asked Lily a bit later, breaking the silence. "Your disappearing act had the lot of us scared stiff."  
  
"Apparently Bellatrix wanted a private word that just couldn't wait," Lily smiled mirthlessly and quickly related her story, ending with the Aurors who had questioned her at St Mungo's. When she had finished, she noticed James and Sirius staring fixedly at the floor, apparently uncomfortable.  
  
"What?" Lily asked uneasily. "What happened?" Sirius nudged James hard.  
  
"Ouch!" James exclaimed, scowling at Sirius. "Er - Lily, the head of the Magical Law Enforcement division announced this morning who would be charged in the attacks after listening to the testimony from all of the witnesses at the party. They charged eight people with supporting and aiding Voldemort, but Bellatrix and the Malfoys weren't among them."  
  
"WHAT?" Lily cried, furious. "But Bellatrix attacked me! And Remus and Kathleen SAW Malfoy kill Mr. and Mrs. Marchbanks! How can the Ministry let them get away with it?"  
  
"Someone inside the Ministry vouched for all of them, according to my parents," James was clearly disgusted.  
  
"Who vouched for them?" Remus demanded. "That person can't have been there!"  
  
"That's been kept anonymous," Sirius looked almost murderous. "Nobody knows, it's all top secret."  
  
Flabbergasted, Lily leaned back against the sofa. What connections did Bellatrix and her sister have to get them out of such serious trouble? The others all were discussing the events of the previous night and that morning in heated voices, but Lily felt too sick to join in.  
  
Lily felt someone's hand covering hers. Looking round, she saw James staring back at her with a concerned expression in his eyes. "All right, Lily?" he whispered, looking so sick with worry and apprehension that Lily's heart wrenched.  
  
"All right," Lily whispered back, squeezing his hand and leaning against him. Needing no further invitation, James wrapped his arms round Lily and closed his eyes, holding onto her as tightly as he dared without hurting her ribs. Finally, he felt the slightest bit normal for the first time since he had looked up at the stairs and seen the Death Eaters coming toward them.  
  
* * *  
  
They all stayed at the Evanses' for several more hours, discussing everything that had happened to them over the last two days. This attack on the Marchbanks family, one of the most prominent and respected families in the wizarding world, and their guests, many of whom were also prominent leaders in society, had caused an uproar in the wizard community. The Marauders, Dorcas, and Kathleen filled Lily in on all of the news they'd heard and they all discussed it at length, trying to puzzle it all out.  
  
Finally Mr. and Mrs. Potter and Mr. and Mrs. Evans reentered the room and after a bit more discussion, the Potters, Sirius, Remus, and Peter all rose to go. As Morwenna and Alice were in no state to host them, Dorcas and Kathleen would be staying with the Evanses until it was time to return to school on Monday.  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Evans were both a bit pale and it was clear that neither of them had liked hearing the information Mr. and Mrs. Potter had given them, but they seemed less worried than they had been; watching them, James reckoned it was better to know the worst than be kept in the dark.  
  
But James couldn't blame them for worrying about Lily; he personally was beside himself. James didn't know if his parents had told Mr. and Mrs. Evans everything, if they had told them about Voldemort's interest in Lily and his orders to leave her alive. His mum and dad had told him that the Aurors were confused and a bit concerned by this; none of them quite knew what to make of it or whether or not Lily was in any kind of danger.  
  
The very thought of Voldemort having plans for Lily made James feel sick. He almost wanted to make up some preposterous lie to tell the Evanses and bring Lily to stay with him so he could make certain nothing happened to her. Three days seemed like forever; Hogwarts was the only secure place in the wizarding world and until Lily was safely back inside its walls, James wouldn't be able to sleep at night.  
  
* * *  
  
With Dorcas and Kathleen there, the time between Friday and Monday passed by quickly for Lily. Though none of them said a word about it, Lily knew that both Dorcas and Kathleen were as relieved to be returning to Hogwarts as she herself was.  
  
They had had a brief letter from Morwenna and one from Alice, letting them know that both girls would be returning to Hogwarts on Monday. As the attacks on the Marchbanks party had proved, there were few safe places left in the wizarding world anymore and Morwenna's gran and Alice's brothers felt that Hogwarts was the best place for Morwenna and Alice.  
  
Monday morning came fairly quickly, or so it seemed, and Lily, Dorcas, Kathleen, and Mr. and Mrs. Evans struggled into King's Cross Station at twenty after ten, hauling a mountain of baggage and owl cages. Finally they stopped between Platforms 9 and 10, where Kathleen and Dorcas said good bye to Mr. and Mrs. Evans before going on through Platform 93/4.  
  
Lily turned to her parents, who immediately crushed her in a tight three-person hug. "I'll see you at Easter," Lily offered, trying to reassure them. "You'll hardly even notice the time passing, what with helping Petunia settle in and everything."  
  
"Of course you're right, darling," Mrs. Evans replied, crying profusely all the while. She fumbled for a handkerchief. "I'm sorry I'm being so silly."  
  
"It's not silly," Lily said softly, regarding her crying mother and teary-eyed father. At that moment, she realized what it cost her parents to send her cheerfully off into a world they knew nothing of, a world that had recently been revealed to be full of dangers they couldn't protect her from.  
  
After several more minutes of good byes and promises to be careful, Lily finally made her way through the barrier and onto the platform where Dorcas, Kathleen, Remus, Peter, Sirius, and James had all assembled to wait for her.  
  
"Thank Merlin!" James exclaimed when he saw her, striding toward Lily to take her trunk. "We -"  
  
"YOU," Sirius interrupted pointedly. James shot him a filthy look.  
  
"Fine, I was beginning to worry that something had happened to you." James finished. Lily and Sirius rolled their eyes in unison.  
  
"I'm all right, James, honestly I am," Lily promised, smiling at him as she led the way to the train and the Head compartment.  
  
"Has anyone seen or heard from Morwenna or Alice or Frank?" Peter asked nervously as they enteredthe train.  
  
"They said they were coming," Kathleen replied.  
  
"There they are!" Lily exclaimed. Standing in front of the Head compartment with all of their baggage in tow were Morwenna, Alice and Frank, all of whom appeared to be completely worn out.  
  
Alice's eyes filled with tears at the sight of them. "Thank Merlin you're all right," she said softly to Lily, moving forward to hug her.  
  
After a highly emotional reunion, the Gryffindors moved into the Head compartment. Inside, they made a valiant effort to stow all of the baggage on the luggage rack and finally had to admit defeat and stack some of it on the floor.  
  
Though the ride to Hogwarts felt awkward to everyone, the Marauders did their best to keep things light, entertaining everyone with jokes, stories about the various pranks they had pulled, and several high-stakes games of Exploding Snap, which culminated with Sirius setting Peter's hair on fire. Once they had put out the rather considerable flames, Sirius and James bought out the candy cart and at Remus' suggestion and over Peter's squealing, looked for a less flammable activity to occupy themselves with. It was a relief to everyone to arrive at Hogwarts and finally escape from the acrid smell of burning hair that still filled the compartment.  
  
As he stepped into a carriage with Lily, Sirius, and Dorcas, James glanced casually across the lake toward the castle, towering invitingly in the distance. Filled with the familiar happy feelings he always experienced when returning to Hogwarts, James reflected that Hogwarts was one of the only places that felt safe anymore and realized with a start how little time he had left to be safe within its walls.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note: Wow, I'm SO sorry it's taken me this long to update! I didn't fall off the face of the earth or anything, this past week has just been really busy for me. Thanks for hanging in there, everyone, and as always, thank you to everyone who took the time to review. I felt like I had to wrap up some things in this chapter, but the next chapter will be more lighthearted; I'm starting to depress myself. The next update is coming soon. Don't forget to review! 


	33. Carpe Diem

Chapter 32 Carpe Diem  
  
The Gryffindors' return to Hogwarts after the disastrous New Year's party was different than any other return James could remember. Before he had always sort of taken Hogwarts for granted, but now after the chaos and confusion in the outside world, it felt like some sort of sanctuary.  
  
As James and the others entered the Great Hall for the Welcome Back feast, the buzz of conversation instantly died as every face in the room turned towards them. After a few seconds of silence, whispering filled the hall like a gust of wind as those who knew what had happened at the Marchbankses' filled in those who didn't.  
  
Though he was used to drawing attention and generating whispering when he entered a room, James found this experience to be a bit unsettling. Why did everyone have to stare, especially at Alice and Morwenna? If they knew what had happened to them, why were they making a difficult situation worse for them?  
  
It was a distinct relief to everyone to reach the Gryffindor table and be able to blend into the crowd a bit. But even at their own house table, people stared. James had never been so relieved in his life as he was when the buzz of conversation resumed.  
  
* * *  
  
After dinner, the seventh year Gryffindors more or less split up; Alice and Frank settled in one corner of the common room, talking in low, solemn voices, and Morwenna and Dorcas went off to bed, and, to the shock and disbelief of everyone, so did the Marauders, who claimed they were tired. Of course, nobody actually believed this, but the Marauders refused to give anything away and hurried up the stairs at a suspiciously eager pace for four people claiming to be turning in early.  
  
So this left Lily and Kathleen to their own devices. Not wanting to disturb Alice and Frank, the two girls sat on the steps that led to the girls' dormitories, updating each other on the start of term gossip and wondering idly what their respective boyfriends and their mates were up to.  
  
Summoning her courage, Lily brought the conversation round to what she had been avidly curious about ever since New Year's Eve. "So," Lily kept her tone deliberately casual, "what's the story with you and Remus?"  
  
"We're together," Kathleen was going for noncommittal, but it was perfectly clear to anyone with eyes in their head that she was overjoyed.  
  
"That's brilliant!" Lily was overjoyed for her friends. "What made you change your mind?"  
  
Kathleen's face sobered a bit. "I suppose it was what we went through together when the Death Eaters attacked."  
  
"But you were together before that!" Lily exclaimed, confused. "You were kissing at midnight and you were smiling and laughing together before that. You spent most of the party off talking together. You weren't together then?"  
  
"No, when Remus and I went off to talk during the party, it was so that I could tell him that as much as I want to be with him I didn't think that we could be as serious as we were because I wouldn't ever know if I could trust him," Kathleen explained. "We agreed to spend the party together and I told him that I wanted to take it slow and figure out whether or not our relationship could work. But then after everything that happened with the Death Eaters, I guess I sort of realized that I love him and I'd be mad not to trust him because of something that isn't his fault and that I didn't want to take it slow because I already know that I'm in love with him."  
  
"Wow," Lily digested this information. "Have you told him this?"  
  
Kathleen nodded, grinning ear to ear. "I sort of blurted it out while Remus was having his arm looked after by a Healer, and Remus told me he'd pretty much known that he loved me since first year." She blushed a bit, remembering, and Lily grinned back at her.  
  
"I'm so happy for both of you," Lily said sincerely. "You deserve to be together."  
  
"Thanks," Kathleen's eyes twinkled. "I'm happy for us too."  
  
* * *  
  
"We have GOT to do SOMETHING," Sirius announced, slamming the dormitory door shut with a resounding bang.  
  
The Marauders, at Sirius' signal, had announced to everyone that they were off to bed early, none of them knowing what this impromptu meeting was about.  
  
"What are you on about?" Peter was plainly confused.  
  
"I don't know about you lot, but I'm sick of the stares and whispers and the bloody state of depression everyone has fallen into since New Year's! We have to do something to liven things up round here before I bloody well go mad!" Sirius exclaimed with the air of someone getting something off his chest.  
  
"How are we going to do that exactly, Padfoot?" James liked this idea but was still a bit skeptical about it.  
  
Glancing over his shoulder, which James could only guess was force of habit as no one else was in the room, and leaning forward, Sirius outlined his plans in a confidential tone.  
  
"It's too late, you have 'bloody well gone mad!'" Remus exclaimed once Sirius had finished. "We haven't got the time, never mind the materials........"  
  
"Leave the materials to me," Sirius replied mysteriously. "All I need to know is, are you lot in or out?"  
  
"I'm with you, mate," James stood up, his old hellion grin spreading across his face.  
  
"Me too," Peter piped up, his watery eyes bright with anticipation. The three conspirators grinned at each other before turning expectantly toward Remus.  
  
"Oh, all right," Remus grumbled good-naturedly. "I'm in. I just keep forgetting that hanging about with you lot means checking good judgement at the door. One of these days I'll remember that."  
  
"Damn straight, Moony," Sirius smirked at his mate. "Nobody wants your good judgement here. Now let's get to it."  
  
The four Marauders leaned in, aware that this was going to be a long night.  
  
* * *  
  
James yawned for the fourteenth time since he'd entered the Great Hall five minutes previously. He'd fallen into bed approximately one hour before breakfast was served in the Great Hall, and he'd had only a half hour of sleep before Sirius yanked him out of bed, insisting that they had to go to breakfast to keep up appearances and tomake sure everything went well. James had contemplated murder, but in the end he decided that he wanted to see everyone's reactions. Now, sitting slumped at the Gryffindor table nursing a cup of very strong coffee, James couldn't remember why he'd agreed to the prank, the getting up, any of it. He wanted nothing more than to go back to bed and sleep for the next three days.  
  
"James?" a familiar voice pulled him out of his stupor, and with great effort James turned his head toward the source, his eyes not focusing.  
  
"Yeah?" he managed with great effort.  
  
"Is there any particular reason why you, Sirius, Remus, and Peter look like the walking dead?" Lily wanted to know.  
  
"Er - no particular reason," James took another slug of coffee.  
  
"I see." There was a pause. "Is there anything I should know?" Lily tried.  
  
"Not really," James couldn't concentrate hard enough to put on his most innocent expression, so he just yawned again instead.  
  
Lily tried to muster up her all-but-retired Prefect Look of Death, but when James' head dropped onto the table, she abandoned the effort as he couldn't see her anyway and turned back to Alice and Dorcas.  
  
Approximately half an hour later, when the assembled students began to collect their things in preparation for the walk to class, Sirius poked James. Roused from slumber, James was just about to chuck the remains of his now-cold coffee at his best mate, but stopped himself when Sirius hissed "One minute."  
  
Effectively distracted, James made a show of gathering up his own belongings, feeling as though the minute would never end.  
  
Right on cue, snow began to drift gently from the ceiling in the Great Hall. As the ceiling reflected the weather outside, this was no great cause for concern, but when the flakes drifted down onto the tables instead of disappearing in midair, there was a general air of mild confusion, which only increased as it began to snow harder until there was a veritable blizzard swirling round inside the Great Hall, freezing the pumpkin juice in the goblets and creating snowbanks against the walls.  
  
"I don't suppose you had anything to do with this?" Lily shouted to James above the howling wind. Snowflakes were scattered all down her length of red hair, and she was hugging herself against the cold.  
  
"Who, me?" James shouted back as innocently as he could, putting both arms round Lily to try and help her keep warm.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore!" someone panted. Looking round, James spotted Argus Filch, who had just come into the Great Hall. Filch looked all round him, his eyes glazing over as he took in the snow and all of the delighted students. It seemed to be more than Filch could take.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Filch?" Dumbledore shouted back. Snow covered his pointed hat and was freezing his beard, but he was as calm and unperturbed as ever, the twinkle in his eye a bit more pronounced than usual.  
  
"Professor - " Filch mad a visible attempt to gather his few scattered wits - "all of the corridors are fogged in, sir."  
  
"What did you say?" Dumbledore called back. He motioned for Filch to come closer.  
  
"Fogged. In!" Filch shouted again as he moved toward the teachers' table. "It took me half an hour to make my way here, I was beginning to think I wouldn't make it!"  
  
After a short conference with all of the professors, Dumbledore stood and announced over the roar of the blizzard raging all round them that classes would be cancelled for the day and the Prefects would be leading everyone back to their House common rooms. Cheers erupted from the students, all of whom put on their cloaks and scarves in preparation for the journey and the Prefects and Head students made their way to the front of the room for their instructions. After receiving directions and a short lesson in Sounding Spells from Professor Flitwick in case any of them got lost in the fog and needed a foghorn, the Prefects rounded up their Houses. It took some time to put a stop to all of the snowball fights that had broken out, but eventually the four houses set out, a Prefect leading the way and bringing up the rear.  
  
The Gryffindors, with Remus in the lead and James at the end, began to make their way back to the common room.  
  
It was not an easy journey; the dense fog made it impossible to see even a short distance and there was rain, snow, and high winds in various places throughout the castle. Despite all of this, the students were in high spirits, overjoyed to have another day off. Even Morwenna, Alice, and the others who had lost friends or family in the New Year's attacks were looking a bit more cheerful, caught up in the impromptu madness.  
  
As soon as they had made it back to the Gryffindor common room, Sirius began to organize a sledding expedition to the entrance hall, where, he 'had it on good authority' that at least two of the staircases were iced over and perfect for sledding.  
  
Lily stood in the corner of the common room closest to the girls' dormitory stairs, watching the insanity with slightly disbelieving eyes.  
  
"Want to go sledding, Lils?" Lily jumped and turned to see James leaning against the wall next to her, smirking in that tremendously self- satisfied way that had used to irritate her enough to tear out her own hair.  
  
"What did you do?" Lily demanded, ignoring the question.  
  
Immediately James' smirk disappeared and a rather disappointed expression crossed his face. "You don't like it?"  
  
"Like it?" Lily was incredulous. "You created this enormous mess for your own entertainment or whatever and you ask me if I like it? Do you have any idea of the mess you've created? Poor Mr. Filch is beside himself!"  
  
"Oh, come off it, Lily," James was impatient. "You didn't honestly just say 'poor Mr. Filch,' did you?"  
  
"Well, ok, maybe he isn't the nicest person, but he doesn't deserve to have to clean up after this!" Lily defended herself. "Why do you always have to do these ridiculous, thoughtless things just so you can say that you've done them?"  
  
"You think this is thoughtless?" James felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Look around us, Lils. Look at how much happier everyone is. Alice is actually laughing! And that's the first time Morwenna has smiled since it happened. This was Sirius' idea because he thought things were getting a bit too grim round here. And he was right. Everyone's been walking round like the world's come to an end, which I suppose it has for some people. We needed to be reminded that we're only seventeen years old, for Merlin's sake, and that life goes on and it won't always be horrible - " James broke off running a hand through his hair agitatedly.  
  
"I'm going sledding," he said after a pause. "I guess I'll see you later then." James turned to go.  
  
"Wait." James spun round and there was Lily, smiling at him. She threw her arms round his neck and kissed him, and for a moment, James was too surprised to even enjoy it. Whatever he'd been expecting Lily to do, it certainly wasn't kiss him.  
  
"I'm sorry," Lily said finally. "I'm so sorry. You're right, everyone did need to have a bit of fun and forget about the bad stuff for a while. I'm sorry I called you thoughtless, it isn't true and I didn't mean it."  
  
"Well, it's true most of the time," James felt a bit blindsided; frankly he wasn't used to being the one who was right in their relationship and he didn't quite know how to handle it.  
  
Lily laughed, and James felt the pit in his stomach go away as the butterflies returned. "So - d'you want to go sledding?" James asked again, a hopeful note in his voice.  
  
"I'd love to go sledding with you," Lily replied, putting her arm through James'.  
  
* * *  
  
Severus Snape could never recall having felt worse on a free day in his life.  
  
Like in every other common room in the school, the one topic of conversation in Slytherin House was the Death Eater attacks on the Marchbankses' party, but Snape imagined that the tone of his housemates' conversation was a bit different than the other houses.'  
  
Unable to stomach it, Snape shut himself away in his usual study room as soon as he had led his house safely to the common room. Alone, he was able to face the worries that were gnawing at him.  
  
He had not been one of the Death Eaters present at the Marchbankses' party, and this was one of the issues that concerned him most. It had been an important appearance; very important as the Dark Lord himself had chosen to make an appearance. But Snape had not been able to reconcile with his own conscience about killing and torturing pureblood members of wizarding society, no matter how many times he attempted to convince himself that it was their own fault for sanctioning ridiculous, Mudblood-friendly politics and making powerful enemies.  
  
And this was another issue that concerned him; as a Death Eater it was his duty to kill and torture his lord's enemies without question or hesitation. True, Snape had never relished it as so many of the others did, but he had never been squeamish about it until now. Why were his conscience and his bloody sense of morals balking now? Even though he knew it was in his own best interest to do what was expected of him, Snape hadn't been able to follow orders this time. What would this mean for him in the future, and would he even have a future? His absence could very well cost him his life, Snape was well aware. It had happened before and would doubtless happen again.  
  
Then there was the matter of Bellatrix; she hadn't yet returned to school and Snape was concerned in spite of himself. He had no real affection for her, Bellatrix was not someone who inspired Snape's good opinion, but long years of spending a good deal of time in each other's company had caused Snape to grow used to her presence.  
  
Not that he needed to worry; Bellatrix had far more significant allies. The Dark Lord himself had an unusual interest in her. Snape had not heard many rumors as it made him sick to hear them, but he had heard that Bellatrix had sustained wounds in the fight and was currently in hiding with the Dark Lord while he helped her to recover. If this story was true, Snape genuinely pitied whoever had injured Bellatrix; the Dark Lord had peculiarly special feelings toward her and would doubtless have a special fate in mind for her attacker.  
  
Snape had always considered himself to be loyal to the Dark Lord's cause; he had never known any other philosophy or way of life and he had been earmarked for prestige and glory in the Dark Lord's servicvery early in life. He had never before questioned these beliefs until recently, had always taken it for granted that this was the right way to think, the only way to be.  
  
And it was these questions that plagued Snape more than anything else. Lately he had begun to question his very way of life, his method ofthinking, and he wasn't at all sure whether he liked the answers.  
  
More unsettling still, Snape knew he had very little time to get his loyalties in order. As a student, certain allowances were made for him but once his days at Hogwarts were over, Snape knew he would be expected to take on a full load of responsibilities and devote himself in every way to Voldemort's cause.  
  
Disloyalty was not an option, it was death, and if Snape wanted to live, which he very much did, he needed to takehis conscience in hand and find a way to stop the infernal questions that swirled round endlessly in his head.  
  
* * *  
  
Sledding turned out to be fun, much as Lily didn't want to admit it to herself.  
  
The north and east staircases were, as Sirius had promised, sheets of ice that were perfect for sledding, and nearly half of Gryffindor Tower was taking turns careening down the stairs on makeshift sleds.  
  
Alice, who was sledding with Frank on an old cloak, was, as James had said, laughing and looked very much like her old self, especially when Sirius and Morwenna challenged Frank and Alice to a race. The four of them managed to collide en route and slid to the bottom in a tangled heap.  
  
Lily and James, naturally, were sledding together and had managed to beat everyone who had challenged them to a race, including Sirius, whose dizzying speeds had Morwenna constantly covering her eyes. Sirius had in fact refused to accept his loss and had challenged them to three rematches, one of which he had won, and was currently attempting to convince Lily and James to go best out of five.  
  
Eventually getting tired of Sirius' challenges, James and Lily snuck off into the fog so that Lily could see the full extent of the Marauders' weather spells.  
  
A tornado was sweeping its way through the Potions corridor and it was monsoon season in front of the Transfiguration room. The corridor leading to Professor Flitwick's class was unbearably hot, thunder and lightning crackled in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and of course almost every space in the castle was shrouded in the densest of fog. Lily had never seen anything like it.  
  
"You know, if you want, we could stop the spell," James offered as they stood watching the lightning storm illuminate the deserted Defense Against the Dark Arts corridor.  
  
"How long is it supposed to take to wear off?" Lily asked thoughtfully, twirling a lock of hair round her finger.  
  
"Er - two days," James admitted, holding his breath.  
  
"Leave it,"Lily grinned at James. "Come on, let's go take Sirius up on his best out of five challenge."  
  
Hand in hand, Lily and James made their way through the misty corridors back to the entrance hall. Maybe taking one day off from classes to go sledding in the corridors wouldn't fix anything, Lily reflected, but James was right. It was good to be reminded that they were still young and that life wouldn't always be cruel.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note:  
  
I honestly can't believe I've hit the thousand review mark! Thank you SO much to everyone who has ever taken time to review my story, especially to those who have reviewed more than once. It means more to me than I can say that people are enjoying this story.  
  
The next chapter will be up some time this weekend (provided that my muses are kind). Again, thank you to everyone for reading my story and for your feedback; I always love to hear what people's favorite parts were or what made them laugh. More Quidditch, Bellatrix's return, Snape's perspective on the attacks, and of course more Lily and James are to come. Thanks for reading! 


	34. Absolutely Perfect

Chapter 33 Absolutely Perfect  
  
Classes at Hogwarts finally resumed on Thursday after the various weather spells throughout the castle began to wear off, and the students went off to them cheerfully enough, their spirits somewhat restored after their impromptu extra holiday courtesy of the Marauders.  
  
Bellatrix remained absent on both Thursday and Friday, which led to school-wide speculation about whether or not she would in fact be returning, and consequently Thursday's and Friday's classes passed by uneventfully for the Gryffindor seventh years.  
  
This extended absence gave James hope that just maybe Bellatrix wouldn't return to Hogwarts for the end of her seventh year. This seemed to be the most frequent theory currently spinning round in the Hogwarts rumor mill, but unlike loads of others, James had no wish to know what it was that was keeping Bellatrix away or where exactly she was. As long as she stayed away from his friends and most especially away from Lily, the psychotic bitch could rot in hell for all James cared.  
  
However, James was in the minority. Most of Hogwarts was avidly curious to know what had happened to its psychotic bitch in residence. All of the other Slytherin seventh years were present and accounted for, even the ones the Gryffindors knew to have been at the Marchbankses'.  
  
When Bellatrix wasn't present for meals on Saturday and Sunday either, James relaxed a bit. It really did seem that Bellatrix wouldn't be returning.  
  
Which was why James was completely unprepared for the sight of Bellatrix sitting at the breakfast table and looking very much like her old self when he glanced at the Slytherin table on Monday morning.  
  
James was so dismayed, in fact, that he simultaneously dropped the pitcher of pumpkin juice he'd been holding and began to choke on his mouthful of bacon.  
  
"What.....is......SHE.....doing.......here?!" James managed as Sirius very obligingly whacked him on the back, the pumpkin juice flooding his lap in rivulets.  
  
"Who?" Lily wanted to know as she dried James' robes with an airy flick of her wand. James gestured toward the Slytherin table and Lily stiffened as she followed his line of sight.  
  
"Oh," Lily said finally in a surprisingly normal voice. Sirius, however, growled low in his throat.  
  
"She won't be here for long if I have anything to do with it," he spat furiously.  
  
"How could Dumbledore let her come back here?" James shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"You can't be surprised by this," Lily spoke matter of factly. "Of course she came back. There's only half of the year left, why wouldn't she?"  
  
"I promise she won't come anywhere near you, Lily," James whispered earnestly, his breath tickling Lily's ear. "I won't let her."  
  
"Thank you," Lily replied, smiling at James. "But I can take care of myself. And I really doubt that Bellatrix is in any shape to be causing herself extra trouble at the moment." With that, she hurried to catch up to Alice, Dorcas, and Morwenna, leaving the Marauders, muttering darkly to each other, to follow her to class.  
  
* * *  
  
Snape had watched the Gryffindor table discreetly all through breakfast, avidly curious to observe their reactions to Bellatrix's presence. He had been unhappily surprised by their restraint; apart from Potter's small mishap, none of them had given Snape any satisfaction. This was highly disappointing, as Snape had been looking forward to watching the Gryffindors' reactions ever since Bellatrix had entered his study room the night before.  
  
For one who prided himself on his ability to predict others' reactions, especially those of his housemates, Snape had been quite surprised to see her standing there. Bellatrix was a shadow of her former self; her eyes were rimmed with purple bruise-like circles and exhaustion was plain in every line of her body, but the maniacal grin was the same as it ever was, and the insanity in her eyes burned a bit brighter.  
  
"Severus, darling," she'd greeted him with more warmth than was her wont. "Have you missed me, pet?"  
  
Snape had eyed her speculatively, refusing to rise to her bait. Seeing her appearance now, he wondered just how badly she'd been hurt and by whom, and what exactly she'd been doing all this time.  
  
"I am relieved to know you are well," he stated a moment later, keeping all inflection deliberately from his voice. "May I inquire as to your whereabouts?"  
  
"You may," Bellatrix taunted him coyly, eyes dancing. She was plainly enjoying her secrets. Snape decided not to pursue it further.  
  
"And the person who did you this injury?" Snape tried a different tact. "Still living?"  
  
Bellatrix's eyes flashed fire. "Yes," she hissed, her hands clenching involuntarily.  
  
Snape was impressed; whoever had bested Bellatrix and lived to tell the tale despite hers and the Dark Lord's best efforts must indeed be a force to be reckoned with.  
  
"Of course," Bellatrix had recovered herself and was now prepared to launch an attack of her own, "had you seen fit to attend our little gathering, you wouldn't have to swallow your pride and ask, now would you, pet?."  
  
Her barb hit home; Snape's eyes flickered for the barest instant, and Bellatrix's smile widened in glee.  
  
"I'm merely inquiring out of courtesy," Snape was pleased with his cool tone and indifferent shrug. "Although," he continued as inspiration struck, "I must confess to some curiosity as regards one matter. Tell me, Bellatrix, why is it that Lily Evans lives? I was under the impression that you would jump at the opportunity to eliminate her under such ideal circumstances, considering how intensely you dislike her."  
  
Bellatrix drew in a sharp gasping breath, and Snape permitted one of his rare smiles to show. It would appear that his hunch had been accurate. So it was Lily Evans who had gotten the best of Bellatrix. How very interesting.  
  
"Don't mention that filthy Mudblood bitch in my presence," Bellatrix hissed in a shaking, intense voice. Her whole body was quivering with rage, and her eyes were more murderous than Snape had ever seen them. It would be the understatement of a lifetime to say that he had struck a nerve.  
  
After a moment, Bellatrix told Snape at least part of what he wanted to know. She had been badly hurt in the Dark Lord's service at the Marchbankses' and had been in hiding with him and Lestrange ever since, recovering from her wounds. She had returned to Hogwarts at his command and out of respect for her parents, who wanted her to complete her schooling. She herself, it seemed to Snape, had very little interest in returning to Hogwarts, but Bellatrix was nothing if not loyal to both the Dark Lord and her family; there was no question of her disregarding their orders.  
  
Then Bellatrix began to speak of the attacks, sharing anecdotes with Snape and clearly reveling in the memories as she recalled them. Snape listened to her accounts impatiently, wishing her gone so that he could process this new information properly. But it was some time before Bellatrix tired of her stories and took herself off to bed.  
  
Alone with his thoughts at last, Snape had leaned back in his chair thoughtfully, considering what Bellatrix's presence would mean for himself and for others.  
  
* * *  
  
James' Monday was proving to be quite stressful. He and his fellow Gryffindors were on edge, waiting for Bellatrix or one of the other Slytherins to make some sort of move, and James, quite determined that she wouldn't come anywhere near Lily, was perhaps the worst of them all. He couldn't shake the image of Lily's pale, bleeding, pain-filled face after her encounter with Bellatrix out of his head, and it made him nearly desperate to keep Bellatrix away from Lily at any and all costs.  
  
The only real incident occurred as the Gryffindors emerged from the Transfiguration corridor and a crowd of Slytherins that included Bellatrix were heading toward it.  
  
Bellatrix's eyes immediately sought Lily's, and Lily didn't try to avoid her gaze; she met it coolly and stared right back, a hard expression on her face.  
  
His heart in his throat, James had immediately jumped in front of Lily, Sirius right behind him, terrified that something would happen to her. Rosier and Avery flanked Bellatrix instantly, the pair of them clearly relishing the thought of a fight. If Professor McGonagall hadn't come along just then, there really was no telling what might have happened.  
  
Thoroughly worn out by dinnertime, James collapsed onto the bench next to Lily. It had only been one day and he was exhausted. There was no way he could live like this; something had to be done or he'd go mad. Without telling anyone, James made up his mind to go and speak to Dumbledore directly after dinner.  
  
* * *  
  
For her part, Lily was really quite shocked by how little Bellatrix's return was upsetting her. Unlike James, who seemed to be nearing total collapse, Lily hadn't believed that Bellatrix would stay away from Hogwarts. It wouldn't make sense to really; she had only half a year left before she was through and school apparently hadn't been curtailing her Death Eater activities before.  
  
But Lily felt that the real reason she wasn't distressed over Bellatrix was because of what had happened between them on New Year's. Bellatrix just wasn't as intimidating now that Lily had faced the dragon, so to speak. Now Lily knew that when it came down to life and death, she could take Bellatrix, and that knowledge was more comforting and heartening than anything else could be. Bellatrix had come for her and Lily had been the one left standing; she couldn't hurt Lily anymore.  
  
Still, Lily didn't intend to go anywhere near Bellatrix; the hatred and madness glittering in her eyes when she and Lily had made eye contact had really been quite alarming. Lily shuddered now recalling it; what caused a person to have that look in her eyes?  
  
Next to her at the Gryffindor table, James was picking half-heartedly at his food and Lily sighed inwardly. James had been this way all day, ever since they had seen Bellatrix at breakfast. Lily's heart tied itself into knots whenever she saw how much he wanted to protect her, and she wished she could explain to James why she wasn't worried anymore, but she wasn't sure that she could construe it in a way that he would understand.  
  
Glancing round for something to distract her from her uncomfortable thoughts, Lily's eyes fell on Alice sitting a couple of seats away from her. When she'd seen Bellatrix this morning, initially Lily's concern had been for Alice. After all, Bellatrix had killed Alice's parents. But Alice, despite her sweet, unassuming appearance and demeanor, was much tougher than she seemed. Ever since the charges against Bellatrix had been dismissed, Alice had known she would most likely have to attend school with her and had been preparing herself. Lily didn't know how she managed it, but Alice was coping; she would be all right because she'd made up her mind to be. In the face of Alice's problems, Lily felt hers were rendered inconsequential.  
  
* * *  
  
A couple of hours after dinner, James mumbled an excuse to Lily and his friends in the common room and, after a quick stop in his dormitory for the Marauder's Map, made his way determinedly toward Dumbledore's office. Obviously Dumbledore was unaware of the situation, otherwise he would never have allowed Bellatrix back into the school. James would set him straight and then this would all be over and Bellatrix would be gone. It was as simple as that; Dumbledore was the wisest, most kind wizard James had ever encountered. He wouldn't knowingly let this happen.  
  
Stopping in front of the gargoyle statue that hid the staircase to Dumbeldore's office, James consulted the map, gave the password ("sugar quill") and before he had considered it, he was on his way up to the office.  
  
Outside the door, James did not hesitate before knocking firmly. "Enter," a familiar voice called from inside the office, and taking a deep breath, James pushed open the door.  
  
In all of the many times James had visited it, Dumbledore's office had never changed. It was always the same friendly, fascinating clutter of objects both mundane and extraordinary, and as always, James had to resist the temptation to wander round exploring all of them.  
  
Behind his enormous desk, Dumbledore stood. "James," he greeted warmly, his eyes full of their customary knowing twinkle. "To what do I owe this honor?"  
  
Now that he was actually facing Dumbledore, James felt a bit awkward and wasn't quite sure how to begin.  
  
"Er - " James managed.  
  
"Why don't you sit down?" Dumbledore gestured to a chair, patient as ever.  
  
Deciding that the only way he could get through this was just to say it, James braced himself and blurted: "Professor Dumbledore, I wanted to talk to you about Bellatrix."  
  
"Ah," Dumbledore steepled his hands on his desk and looked at James keenly over the top of his spectacles. "I see. This had something to do with the tragedy at the Marchbankses,' I take it?"  
  
James quickly told Dumbledore the entire story of Bellatrix's Death Eater escapades at the New Year's ball from her attack on Lily and her confession of killing the Prewetts to her unusual relationship with Vodemort himself.  
  
"She can't stay here, Professor," James finished desperately, "she just can't. Not after what she's done to Lily and Alice and Merlin knows who else. The Ministry won't do anything about her, but you can. She's a Death Eater, Professor, there are witnesses."  
  
James, I know," Dumbledore had been still and silent all the time James had been talking, listening intently. Now he leaned back slightly, a serious expression on his face.  
  
"You - you know what?" James was a bit nonplussed.  
  
"I am aware that Bellatrix Black is a Death Eater," Dumbledore stated calmly, his blue eyes a bit less twinkly now.  
  
"What?!" James felt as though someone had beat a Bludger into his stomach. "But if you know, then why is she still here? Hogwarts is supposed to be safe; if you know, then why isn't that b - Bellatrix - in Azkaban where she belongs?"  
  
Dumbledore sighed, and just for a moment, he looked very old. "It's not quite that simple, James," he explained. "No one can be expelled from Hogwarts without a legitimate reason, and Bellatrix was never charged with being a Death Eater. Without that charge, it is a baseless accusation and is not grounds for expulsion."  
  
James knew what Dumbledore didn't add: Bellatrix's parents held significant power over the school governors; she could practically admit to being a Death Eater and manage not to be chucked out simply because of her influential connections.  
  
"Oh," James got out, trying desperately to hide his disappointment and worry.  
  
"Also," Dumbledore continued, slightly less solemn now, "I have always believed in the old adage about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. And as long as Bellatrix is at Hogwarts, I can prevent her from causing serious harm." Dumbledore's eyes glimmered.  
  
A phrase that Remus said quite often popped into James' head at that moment. "Dumbledore has his reasons." And sitting there in Dumbledore's office, James realized just how true that statement was. It had always used to annoy him whenever Remus said it, but now somehow, it made him feel a bit better about it all.  
  
"I understand, sir," James spoke finally.  
  
Dumbledore merely smiled back at him kindly, and hesitating, James rose to go.  
  
"Was there something else on your mind, James?" Dumbledore asked mildly. Impulsively, James spun round.  
  
"Could I just ask you something, Professor?" James took a deep breath. "Why did you make me Head Boy?" he blurted before he could decide not to.  
  
"There are many reasons, James," Dumbledore seemed to be amused by the question.  
  
"What I mean is - " James struggled to explain. "I'm not exactly a model student. Why didn't you make Remus or somebody else who's responsible Head Boy? I reckon they would have deserved it more."  
  
"No one deserves to be Head Boy more than you do, James," Dumbledore replied quietly. "I have always felt that you possessed the potential to be a leader, and during this past year you have realized that potential admirably. I was very impressed by your actions during the Whomping Willow incident with Sirius and Severus Snape; you proved yourself capable of great things."  
  
Dumbledore paused as Fawkes his phoenix came to perch on the desk. James watched the bird, dazed; he'd had no idea that Dumbledore thought so highly of him. He glanced round to find Dumbledore watching him with a knowing twinkle in his eye.  
  
"And of course," Dumbledore continued, his eyes dancing, "In dark times such as these, we could all use some laughter in our lives, and there's never a dull moment with you and Mr. Black around."  
  
James grinned at that, slightly embarrassed by all the trouble he had caused the headmaster over the years, including his recent foray into meteorology.  
  
"Thanks for telling me, sir," James said as he turned to go once again, a hellion grin still tugging at his lips. "And - thanks for telling me about the other thing too."  
  
"You're quite welcome, James," Dumbledore answered comfortably, returning James' smile. "I hope I've helped to put your mind at ease."  
  
"Yeah, sort of," James ran a hand through his hair distractedly.  
  
"Miss Evans is very fortunate to have someone like you care so much for her," Dumbledore added. Not all sure how to respond to that or if he was exactly ready to discuss his feelings for his girlfriend with the headmaster, James mumbled something incoherent and made as graceful an exit as possible.  
  
* * *  
  
Snape shuffled restlessly along the second floor corridor, thoroughly tired of his patrol. He had a good deal of work he planned to do before he went to bed and he was anxious to get to it. Schoolwork was the only escape Snape had these days from the increasingly complicated pressures of other areas in his life; he spent as much time as possible in one of the study rooms these days.  
  
The sound of footsteps echoing in the corridor recalled Snape to his Prefect duties; frowning, he rounded the corner toward the noise and was surprised to come face to face with James Potter coming, apparently, from Dumbledore's office. Immediately, Snape felt all of the hatred and resentment peculiar to James Potter rise to the surface, twisting his face into an ugly leer.  
  
"Snape," James said in surprise, the familiar feelings of loathing and disgust taking over.  
  
"In trouble again, Potter?" Snape sneered, gesturing toward the gargoyle statue with his wand. "Or does the headmaster know you were in his office?"  
  
"Bugger off, Snivellus," James' skin crawled at the eager expression in Snape's eyes, as though getting James in trouble would make his life complete.  
  
"I don't think so, Potter," Snape taunted, keeping his wand trained on James.  
  
"It's none of your business where I go or what I do, you slimy little git," James taunted back. "You see, Snivelly, I'm Head Boy, which means that I outrank you. For the last time, bugger off or it'll be fifty points from Slytherin."  
  
Snape's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'm making it my business, Potter. If you're abusing your position in any way I'll find out about it. And you have my word that Dumbledore will hear about it and you will be expelled."  
  
"What, like your little friend Bellatrix should have been?" James' hands clenched into fists. "You must be delighted to have the psychotic bitch back. Just between us, how is it that YOU avoided Death Eater charges, Snivelly? Did you and Bellatrix both just happen to sleep with the right people?"  
  
He'd hit some sort of nerve; Snape's already-sallow face grew even paler and his grip on his wand tightened.  
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Snape ground out through gritted teeth. "But a word of advice, Potter. It would be unwise to toss accusations about when your dear Mudblood girlfriend is already in such a precarious position. Bellatrix wants her dead, and Bellatrix always gets what she wants."  
  
"You'd better make sure that doesn't happen, Snivelly, for your own sake," James'tone was deceptively casual as he brought out his own wand.  
  
The two wizards stood in the corridor for what seemed like an eternity, measuring each other up over the tips of their wands and wondering just how much the other knew.  
  
It was James who broke away first, impatient with Snape's mind games and vague threats. After a moment's hesitation, Snape too lowered his wand, his lip curling venomously.  
  
"I'll leave you to your patrol, Snivellus," James smirked one last time, even though his heart was pounding in his ears.  
  
Snape didn't respond; instead he strode down the corridor in the opposite direction, trying to get a hold of himself before Potter saw just how much he had shaken him.  
  
* * *  
  
When James finally slipped back into Gryffindor Tower, the crowd in the common room was beginning to die down, though Sirius and several others seemed to be going strong. Scanning the room, James spied Lily curled up in an armchair by the fire, reading what appeared to be a letter. Careful not to attract Sirius' attention, James made his way stealthily toward Lily, sneaking up behind her chair and kissing her on the cheek.  
  
Surprised, Lily spun toward him, her dazzling smile causing strange sensations in the pit of James' stomach. "Hi," she said delightedly, but before she could say anything more, James leaned forward and kissed her again, on the lips this time. Lily wrapped her arms round his neck, clinging to him just as tightly as he was clinging to her. It was a good long while before they finally pulled back, out of breath.  
  
"Where did you sneak off to?" Lily asked, making room for James in the armchair.  
  
"To see Dumbledore," James replied, squeezing into the chair and wrapping his arms round Lily.  
  
"What about?" Lily eyed him curiously and just a bit apprehensively.  
  
James related his conversation with Dumbledore to Lily, not leaving anything out. When he finished, he leaned back slightly to get a better look, unsure how she would react.  
  
Lily leaned in and kissed him, then pulled back. "It's unbelievably sweet that you went to get Bellatrix expelled for me," she began, smiling at James warmly as she snuggled closer to him, their limbs tangling together. "But you don't need to worry about her anymore."  
  
"Er, Lily, she tried to kill you in case you've forgotten!" James exclaimed, bewildered.  
  
"But she didn't," Lily shot back.  
  
"She'll try it again," James pointed out, a bit worried by Lily's apparent lack of concern. Next thing she'd be telling him that Bellatrix was just some sort of misunderstood, harmless little darling and was really quite sweet once you got to know her.  
  
"I know she will, James," Lily replied quietly, twirling a lock of hair round her finger. "But I also know now that I can win. She doesn't frighten me anymore"  
  
"Huh?" James was fairly certain that Lily had somehow caught brain fever, or maybe Bellatrix's insanity was contagious.  
  
Carefully, Lily explained to James why she wasn't afraid and how she knew that she could fight Bellatrix and win because she had done it before. Bellatrix had attacked Lily, really and truly attacked her outside of the safety of Hogwarts' walls, and Lily had won. Dragons you had already faced were never as bad as those you hadn't.  
  
"Does that make sense to you?" Lily asked apprehensively when she'd finished.  
  
"Yeah, I guess," James answered, reaching out for a lock of Lily's hair to play with. "But I still worry."  
  
"I really can take care of myself, you know," Lily said as she leaned her head on James' shoulder.  
  
"I know," James twisted Lily's scarlet hair through his fingers. "That doesn't mean I can't help," he pointed out, smirking.  
  
Lily rolled her eyes but snuggled closer in lieu of a retort.  
  
"Get a room, you lot!" Sirius' voice interrupted them suddenly. "Just don't get OUR room," he added after a pause.  
  
"Shut it, Sirius," Lily said without opening her eyes.  
  
"And bugger off while you're at it," James added absentmindedly, still playing with Lily's hair.  
  
"Fine, I can take a hint. Good night," Sirius rejoined suggestively as he made his way up the stairs.  
  
As he drifted off to sleep, James was fleetingly aware that despite the terrible day and odd night he had had, this moment, tangled in an armchair with Lily Evans, was absolutely perfect.  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Ack! I'm really, REALLY sorry it's taken me so long to update! All I can say is I've been incredibly busy lately (bloody homework) and I haven't had time to write.  
  
But I think I can safely say that it won't take me that long again, although updates might be a bit less frequent for a while than they were, as in there may be only one update a week instead of two.  
  
As always, thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and every chapter before that. I love to hear from you.  
  
Gotta go finish yet another paper now, but I'm sorry one more time. Read, enjoy, and review! 


	35. The Thought That Counts

Chapter 34 The Thought That Counts  
  
The first thing James noticed when he woke up the next morning was the excrutiating crick in his neck . Then, as he tried to move, he became aware of the fact that his arms and legs were numb. Wondering why he was so cramped, James opened his eyes and remembered. He and Lily were still curled up together in the armchair, except now sunlight was streaming through the windows and telltale sounds coming from above indicated that they wouldn't be alone in the common room for much longer.  
  
"Shit," James mumbled under his breath as he tried to disentangle himself without waking Lily. Finally succeeding, he was so pleased with himself that he forgot all about his cramped limbs until they refused to support him and he fell promptly onto the common room floor with a thud.  
  
"Huh?" a sleepy voice from the armchair said, and a moment later Lily was peering down at him, bleary-eyed. "James? What are you doing?"  
  
"Shh!" James hissed desperately, pointing frantically upstairs.  
  
"Oh bloody HELL," Lily whispered, rising gingerly to her feet and surveying her wrinkled robes with dismay. "We fell asleep!"  
  
"I know," James hissed back. "The real question is, what do we do now?"  
  
"Er............." Lily glanced round her frantically.  
  
Before either of them could come up with a brilliant solution, the sound of footsteps thundering down the stairs distracted them. Acting on impulse, James wrenched open the portrait hole and shoved Lily into the corridor before tumbling out himself and banging the door shut.  
  
"There's no need to slam," the Fat Lady huffed indignantly.  
  
"Sorry," James replied, breathing hard.  
  
"Great plan," Lily said sarcastically, flipping back her mussed hair irritably. "Now instead of being caught in a compromising position in the common room, we can be caught in a disheveled state in the hallway and people can gawk on their way to breakfast."  
  
James glared at Lily, hurt by her lack of faith. But before he could think of a suitable retort, the portrait swung open yet again and Sirius appeared, almost toppling to the floor as Peter knocked into him in his haste to see.  
  
"Why, James, whatever are you doing out here so early in the morning?" Sirius grinned innocently at Lily and James.  
  
"Oh, for Merlin's sake," Remus grumbled in exasperation, shoving Sirius and Peter out of the way so that Lily and James could reenter the common room, where approximately a dozen Gryffindors were now gathered, peering curiously at the disturbance at the portrait hole. The curious buzzing stopped as everyone in the common room looked at Lily and James expectantly.  
  
"Uh – "James wracked his brains for a good excuse, hoping that his renowned ability to get himself out of trouble wouldn't fail him now.  
  
"Nothing like a brisk walk through the corridor before breakfast," he heard himself saying into the silence.  
  
Sirius turned his laughter into a very unconvincing coughing fit; Remus, Peter, and Lily just regarded James in disbelief. James was having trouble believing that he'd really just said that himself.  
  
"Well," Lily said as normal conversations finally resumed. "I'm going to go and – er – oh, sod it. See you at breakfast." She practically ran up the stairs.  
  
* * *  
  
Once she had reached the top floor of the tower, Lily paused to catch her breath before facing her roommates and their inevitable questions.  
  
Burying her face in her hands, Lily was fairly certain that she'd never been so embarrassed in her life. Now instead of thinking that she and James had slept together in the common room, Gryffindor Tower would think they'd slept together somewhere else in the castle. Wonderful.  
  
Embarrassed as she undoubtedly was, Lily still couldn't prevent a smile from tugging at the corners of her mouth as she recalled the previous night, feeling her irritation leave her with the memory. It had been so perfect, had felt so natural and comforting and safe. As badly as everything had gone this morning, Lily just couldn't seem to be angry with James or stay in a bad mood. She'd woken up, cramped, stiff, and sore, to the sound of her panicked boyfriend toppling quite gracelessly to the floor and still she felt as though she were walking on air.  
  
Merlin, but I'm in it deep, Lily thought to herself as she pushed open the door where four pairs of eyes were turned toward her expectantly.  
  
* * *  
  
By the time classes had ended for the day, Lily was thoroughly sick of the constant ribbing from the Marauders, all of whom had been hard at it since breakfast. Miraculously, the rest of Gryffindor Tower and the school at large didn't seem to be aware of Lily and James' little scandal, but Lily wasn't sure the teasing could've been much worse if they had.. Originally, Sirius, Remus, and Peter had started off teasing them as a sort of tag team, making many clever cracks about early morning walks through the corridor and inquiring if Lily and James planned to study Astronomy that evening but Remus, had laid off by lunchtime as Sirius and Peter were doing a fabulous job of making Lily and James' lives miserable without his help.  
  
So after dinner, Lily had snuck off to the library and was currently huddled in a deserted corner of the library pretending to study while she went over the incident for the thousandth time in her head. Repetition had done nothing to diminish the warm feeling the memory brought to the pit of Lily's stomach. Curled up in James' arms, she'd felt safe for the first time in a very long time. Lily wasn't sure what that meant exactly, but she liked the feeling.  
  
Hearing footsteps behind her, Lily groaned inwardly. Sirius or Peter had found her already. Her money was on Sirius; Peter, sweet though he was, wasn't exactly the brain of Britain and wouldn't find her as easily, but Sirius had the dedication to follow Lily to the ends of the earth in order to continue his teasing; a little thing like the library wouldn't stop him.  
  
"Bugger off!" Lily shouted without turning round, suddenly fed up with it all.  
  
"Er – ok," a familiar voice said, taken aback. Lily spun in her chair.  
  
"James?" she asked incredulously, looking round frantically and seeing nothing but empty space. "James? Are you there somewhere?"  
  
A hand came out of thin air and pulled space away to reveal James grinning at her. Startled enough to scream, Lily clapped a hand over her mouth to prevent it.  
  
"How did you do that?" Lily whispered as James moved toward her.  
  
Invisibility cloak," James held it up to illustrate his point. "Sorry to have startled you."  
  
"It's ok," Lily said, suddenly and inexplicably shy. "It explains a lot, actually."  
  
James smiled. "Yeah, I guess it would," he mused.  
  
After a long and rather awkward pause, James moved over next to Lily, slumping down on the floor next to her chair. Lily promptly got up and went to sit beside him on the floor, their limbs almost touching but neither of them sure enough of the other to actually move enough to initiate the contact.  
  
"Look, I'm really sorry about last night, Lily," James said in a rush, running his hand through his hair. "And about this morning. I just didn't know what to do and I panicked and it won't – I mean I won't – "  
  
"James," Lily cut off his rambling apology. "I'm not sorry about last night."  
  
"You're not?" Whatever James had been expecting to hear, it certainly hadn't been that.  
  
"No," Lily twirled a lock of hair round her finger. "I mean, I'm sorry about this morning. Disaster. Obviously. But last night," Lily felt the same soft smile that had been making appearances all day return to her face, "I thought last night was pretty perfect, actually."  
  
"Really?" James let out a breath he hadn't been aware of holding. "You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that, because I think last night was the best night of my life and I was really, really afraid that you might hate me for it."  
  
"Of course I don't hate you," Lily leaned her head against James' shoulder and James, feeling like the luckiest bloke alive, put his arm round her contentedly. The pair of them sat like that, eyes closed, for a good long while before realizing that this was what had gotten them into trouble the night before. Neither of them fancying waking up to Madam Pince in the morning, Lily and James scrambled to their feet and hastily made their way back to Gryffindor Tower.  
  
* * *  
  
Compared to that first week of the term, the next few weeks were quite unremarkable. The Gryffindor seventh years settled into something of a routine and gradually grew somewhat used to Bellatrix's presence, though James and Sirius were constantly on the alert whenever she was about. As her recovery continued, Bellatrix became more like her old self; she seemed to take a special delight in coming as close as she could to Lily, Alice, and Morwenna during classes just to get a rise out of James and Sirius, who obliged her every time. Lily, Alice, and Morwenna had largely learned to ignore Bellatrix's games, though all of them were watchful.  
  
As NEWTs drew steadily nearer, the seventh years grew more and more stressed out as the professors piled on the homework. Though James had time for little else besides studying and Quidditch training with the occasional patrol or Prefect meeting thrown in, he was avidly planning his and Lily's first Valentine's Day as a couple. Truth be told, many of the ideas he bounced off of Sirius were so elaborate and extravagant that even Sirius, by no means a small-scale, practical thinker himself, had to remind James to be more realistic.  
  
By the time February 14th actually arrived, James had revised his Valentine's plans forty-seven times and had made eleven illicit trips into Hogsmeade, but he was certain it had all been worth it. Valentine's Day was going to be the best day of Lily's life, the best day of their life as a couple, and he was going to tell Lily how he felt about her.  
  
By the morning of February 15th, James was just glad that bloody Valentine's Day was over and that he and Lily had both survived it.  
  
* * *  
  
Valentine's Day had been undeniable proof that the old saying about the best laid plans was true. In fact, James was fairly certain that all the planets had aligned in some sort of vast cosmic conspiracy to ruin his love life.  
  
Everything had gone wrong from the start. First, that morning at breakfast, the sining valentine James had ordered misinterpreted the "L" in Lily for a "B" and serenaded James' undying love for Billy in a glass- shattering soprano that was ten times the volume James had ordered to a room full of sniggering students for what had felt like an eternity. It had been a huge relief when the candy James had ordered specially from Honeyduke's had arrived to distract a red-faced Lily from her humiliation.  
  
James had grinned in anticipation of Lily's reaction, waiting eagerly for the moment when she would exclaim over his sweetness, thoughtfulness, and overall perfection before covering him with kisses. He was so busy contemplating this, in fact, that he diidn't realize that Lily's reaction was a bit late in coming for quite some time. James snapped out of it and saw Lily holding the Honeyduke's candy box rather dubiously, struggling to mask her disgust.  
  
"Wow," Lily said finally, struggling to find something positive to say, " this is – er – really great. Because, you know, if I ever – er – become a vampire, I won't have to eat any people, I'll have these all ready for me."  
  
"What?" James was certain he was hearing things for a moment, but as Lily's words sank in, he had a horrid feeling in the pit of his stomach. To confirm what he already knew was true, he snatched the box away from Lily.  
  
"Blood flavored lollypops?!" James exclaimed in dismay. "This isn't what I ordered – oh, bloody HELL!" James threw the box down in exasperation. "Honeyduke's cocked up my order!"  
  
"Thank Merlin!" Lily had rarely been so relieved in her life. She'd been just a bit afraid in the back of her mind that this had either been some sort of bizarre joke or worse yet that James had honestly thought that Lily would want blood-flavored candy, the implications of which were too horrible to think about.  
  
"I'm sorry, Lils," James was crestfallen. "They were supposed to be those little chocolate dragon thingies that you like so much."  
  
"It's all right," James looked and sounded so pathetic that Lily's heart melted. Forgetting that he had just subjected her to a truly horrific singing valentine, Lily put her arms round James, trying to cheer him up. "It's the thought that counts," she offered a moment later, but James just glared.  
  
And it had all been downhill from there, aside from Lily giving James an enormous chocolate heart at dinner. After dinner, James had planned to take Lily outside to watch the fireworks display he had arranged for. Afterwards, he had planned to tell Lily that he loved her and give her an enormous bouquet of red roses. Every year since they were 13 he'd given Lily a bouquet of roses on Valentine's Day and every year she'd promptly thrown them out the window of Gryffindor Tower, and James was really, really looking forward to Lily finally accepting the flowers from him this year. Had it all gone as he'd planned it, it really would have been quite spectacular.  
  
As Lily and James passed through the entrance hall on their way to the fireworks, Peeves, seemingly inspired by the Valentine's Day spirit, pelted them with heart-shaped confetti. Lily had immediately covered her head with her hands, shielding herself as best as she could from the confetti pinging off her body. James, looking upward to glare at Peeves and offer a few choice comments, caught a particularly large piece of confetti in the eye, which effectively and very painfully blinded him.  
  
"Are you all right?" Lily shouted over Peeves' cackling as James staggered about, groping sightlessly.  
  
"Yeah, fine," James managed to say in spite of the now-searing pain in his eye. Ignoring Lily's suggestion that they go back to Gryffindor Tower so that he could flush the confetti out, James insisted that they continue outside. Still rubbing his eye, James listened to the appreciative gasps from Lily and the students who had stuck their heads out the window to watch the fireworks and tried to comfort himself with the fact that even though he had apparently been blinded in one eye, at least the fireworks had gone right.  
  
"They seem to be getting closer," Lily remarked after a bit, sounding apprehensive. James tried to look up but couldn't see as his one eye had swollen shut by now and the other one was watering too profusely to see much of anything.  
  
A crashing noise caused James some alarm, but he decided to ignore it, or at any rate, he decided to ignore it until Lily screamed in alarm and tugged him backward. Opening his good eye, James was just able to make out an orange blurry shape where a greenhouse should have been. Oh, shit.  
  
"James! Come on! Greenhouse 4 is on fire; we've got to get help!" Lily tugged insistantly on his sleeve. Stumbling, James made his way blindly back to the castle, wondering what he had ever done to deserve this.  
  
* * *  
  
Three hours later, James, his eye still puffy and swollen but now purged of confetti, sat in the Gryffindor common room holding the bouquet of roses and waiting for Lily to return from the hospital wing; she'd sustained a few minor burns helping to put out the fire. Of all of the many messes he'd been involved in in his lifetime, this was the worst, James reflected as he leaned his head against the back of the sofa. The damned confetti had given him a headache; where had Peeves gotten that stuff?  
  
Just then the portrait swung open and Lily appeared, her robes a bit singed but otherwise perfectly all right. James shoved the flowers behind the sofa and smiled at her, trying not to think about how puffy his eye was just then.  
  
"I – er – I got you something else," James said tentatively, putting on his most persuasive grin.  
  
"Let me guess: you're going to give me a big box of Cockroach Clusters, then we're going to go and deface the Quidditch pitch?" Lily teased, pushing back her hair with a bandaged hand.  
  
"No, actually it's a box of vomit-flavored Every Flavor Beans followed by baiting a mountain troll," James retorted, pleased that Lily could have a sense of humor about the whole thing; now that it was past, James was beginning to find their little mishap a bit funny himself. More than a bit, actually; maybe the pain from his eye had made him a bit giddy, but James suddenly found the whole situation hysterically funny and began to laugh uncontrollably, laughing harder still when Lily joined in.  
  
It was some minutes later when Lily and James finally managed to calm down, collapsed against the sofa and clutching the stitches in their sides.  
  
"I really did get you something else," James said after a bit, reaching behind the sofa.  
  
"Really?" Lily asked, trying to work a bit of enthusiasm into her tone.  
  
James reached behind the sofa and fished out the bouquet of roses. They were a bit worse for wear by now, but at least they wouldn't set anything on fire, lodge in anyone's eye, or sing songs about Billy at an embarrassingly loud volume.  
  
"For you," James said softly, handing Lily the flowers. "Happy Valentine's Day."  
  
Lily's eyes filled with tears. "Thank you," she forced round the lump in her throat. "This is the best Valentine's Day gift I've ever gotten," she added a minute later as the tears started.  
  
"Well, technically I've gotten you these every year since third year, you've just always thrown them out up until now," James pointed out.  
  
Lily shook her head. "I didn't throw them out last year," she admitted, not meeting James' eye.  
  
"Really?" James was flabberghasted. "But you always hated me, you said you'd rather go out with the giant squid than with me."  
  
"I didn't hate you last year," Lily confessed, still a bit teary. "Well, ok, I hated you every year before that, but I was begininng to like you just the tiniest little bit too, so I kept the flowers last year and made Morwenna and Alice and Kathleen and Dorcas swear that they wouldn't tell you."  
  
"Wow," James wondered aloud, slumping further in his seat. A smile spread across his face. "If I'd known you had such a thing for blokes who played knight in shining armor to slimy little gits I might've saved Snape's life loads sooner."  
  
"I hardly had a thing for you," Lily scoffed unconvincingly, a blush spreading across her face. "I just kept your damn flowers  
  
"Whatever," James managed a rather convincing smirk despite his swollen, puffy eye "You know you wanted me."  
  
"Don't flatter yourself," Lily snorted. But as she glanced down at the bouquet of red roses on her lap, she smiled all the same.  
  
* * *  
  
A week had gone by since then, and the thought of that ridiculous bunch of slightly beat up flowers still made her grin like a simpleton, Lily reflected as she patrolled the dungeon corridors. Sure enough, a smile spread across her face at the very thought of them, and of James. Even a year ago, who would've thought she'd ever be in a serious relationship with James Potter? It defied logic.  
  
And on top of that, the entire Valentine's Day debacle hadn't put a dent in Lily's feelings for James. Just the opposite in fact, Lily was looking forward to the Hogsmeade excursion this weekend with the same giddy anticipation Petunia exhibited when confronted with a good piece of gossip.  
  
Purposeful footsteps sounding in the corridor behind her snapped Lily out of it. Pulling out her wand just in case, she turned round slowly and found herself face to face with Severus Snape.  
  
"Evans," Snape spoke rapidly and softly, glancing round him as though he feared someone might see them together, which, Lily realized, he probably did. "A quick word? In private?"  
  
Lily nodded her head slowly, and, before she could consider the thing properly, followed Snape down the corridor.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note  
  
Again, so sorry the update took so long! I'm a bit busy right now and don't have as much time to write. But I won't leave with a cliffhanger for long, don't worry, and I can safely guarantee that I'll update again this week. Thanks as always to everyone who reviewed and to everyone who reads this story for being so patient with me. 


	36. Secrets Part I

Chapter 35 Secrets Part I  
  
Following Snape down the corridor, it occurred to Lily that her decision to follow a Slytherin who hated her boyfriend with a fiery passion and was known to be a friend of sorts of Lily's worst enemy probably was not the wisest decision she'd ever made in her life. But still, Lily reflected, he'd helped her that day in Knockturn Alley; if he'd really wanted her dead, he'd had the perfect opportunity then. And even if he did want to hurt her, she could take care of herself. That thought gave Lily a bit more confidence; she gripped her wand a bit more firmly and tilted her chin up to a more confident angle.  
  
Snape came to an abrupt halt in front of a doorway Lily had seen several times on her patrols but had never explored. He muttered an incantation under his breath and flicked his wand, and the door swung open, revealing what seemed to be a storage cupboard for potion supplies. Ignoring the two unlit torches on the cupboard's walls, Snape lit the end of his wand and motioned Lily inside. After hesitating briefly, Lily lit the tip of her own wand and stepped in, deciding that she'd already come this far and might as well go along with it. Snape stepped in after her and shut the door as silently as possible, making sure that the latch was secure before turning to Lily.  
  
"There isn't much time, so I'll ask you to listen without interruptions," Snape's pallid complexion was eerie in the flickering light, his expression grim. Lily nodded wordlessly to indicate that she understood. Needing no further encouragement, Snape spoke in the soft, urgent tones he'd been using before, as though he were afraid of being caught.  
  
"First, I need to ask you: do you know where Dumbledore is right now?"  
  
"Still in London, as far as I know," Lily whispered, feeling as though the bottom had dropped out of her stomach. "At a Wizengamot meeting." Professor Dumbledore had been called away the previous evening for an important Wizengamot summit, or so Professor McGonagall had said at tonight's Prefect meeting, which, now that Lily considered it, Snape had not attended.  
  
Snape's mouth tightened, but he betrayed no other outward sign of emotion. "He Who Must Not Be Named's followers are planning an attack on that meeting," Snape informed Lily curtly "but it's only a means to an end. Their real target is Dumbledore, and this meeting is one of the few opportunities the Death Eaters have to access him, as he rarely leaves Hogwarts."  
  
"What can I do?" Lily asked simply, her expression determined.  
  
"There may still be time," Snape's eye blazed in his sickly face as he studied Lily appraisingly. "Listen carefully: some students in this school are leaving in an hour's time to rendezvous with others and then they will all proceed to the Ministry together. You have approximately an hour and ten minutes, perhaps less, to warn Dumbledore and the Wizengamot. If you leave now you should have adequate time."  
  
"Wait," Lily said, trying to sound as rational as possible, "come with me to warn Dumbledore and tell him what you've just told me. We can get the Aurors and have the Death Eaters arrested; we can stop the students before they leave the castle if you'll just tell me who they – "  
  
"No!" Snape was startled by the vehemence of his response, and so, from the look of her, was the Mudblood. "No," Snape repeated again, trying to be calm, but he couldn't keep the note of desperation out of his voice. "You CANNOT tell ANYONE what I've just told you or even that you spoke to me. I'm telling you this for only one reason: because the Death Eaters won't leave any witnesses; they'll kill Dumbledore, the other Wizengamot members, and anyone else who might chance to see them, and that would be distinctly – untidy. That reason and no other; if you think I have some sort of altruistic motive, you're mistaken." Snape paused deliberately, allowing his words to sink in.  
  
"And I warn you," Snape continued finally, his voice deadly in its sincerity, "if you tell anyone about this conversation, I swear to you that the Death Eaters will kill me, but before they do, I will kill you."  
  
"I won't tell anyone," Lily promised quietly. "And I know that gratitude from a Muggle born means less than nothing to you, but I want to say thank you all the same."  
  
"Hurry," Snape had apparently ignored Lily's last sentence completely. "There isn't much time left."  
  
Lily made her way to the door, but as her hand reached the knob, she gave into impulse and turned to face Snape again. "You know, if you're in trouble, Dumbledore might be able to help you," she said softly, not looking at Snape.  
  
"What assistance would I require from him?" Snape's face was carefully shuttered. "I can assure you that I'm not in any sort of trouble."  
  
It was a lie and they both knew it. "You said the Death Eaters would kill you," Lily pointed out softly, calling Snape's bluff. "That qualifies as trouble in my definition."  
  
"It's simply a matter of loyalties," Snape had no intention of explaining the complexities of centuries to a Mudblood.  
  
"Well, if these 'loyalties' require you to sneak around in the dead of the night and fear for your life, then maybe it's time to form new ones," Lily suggested softly. When Snape didn't reply, she turned to goonce more. "You secret's safe with me," she whispered over her shoulder. "Thank you again."  
  
And with that, Lily was gone, leaving Snape alone in the dark.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily raced through corridors and up staircases as fast as her legs would carry her; she could have sworn that someone had moved Gryffindor Tower just to spite her. Finally she reached the portrait hole, gasped the password at the Fat Lady, and made her way up the stairs as quickly as she could without making any noise.  
  
On her way to the tower, Lily had debated over whether or not she should tell James and ask for his help, but in the end the look of panic that had crossed Snape's face when she'd suggested telling someone, even Dumbledore, made her decision for her. She owed it to Snape not to tell anyone, James included. Considering the way he and Snape hated each other, there really was no telling what James would do if she told him anyway.  
  
But it made sense to tell someone, Lily realized; if the Death Eaters caught her, someone should know where she'd gone. By the time she'd reached her dormitory, Lily had decided that the most logical person to tell would be Dorcas; Lily needed Floo powder to get to the Ministry and she knew that Dorcas had some. Also, Dorcas didn't ask too many questions as a general rule. Lily would be able to leave Snape completely out of the story.  
  
Tiptoeing into the room, Lily made her way to Dorcas' bedside and touched her softly. When that didn't work, Lily shook her shoulder and finally resorted to whispering Dorcas' name.  
  
"Lily! What are you doing?" Lily jumped a foot in the air and spun to see a sleepy-eyed Kathleen regarding her in bewilderment.  
  
"I need to talk to Dorcas," Lily whispered. "I need to borrow her Floo powder. Kathleen arched an eyebrow skeptically. "It's really, REALLY important, Kathleen," Lily explained earnestly. "REALLY important."  
  
Sighing, Kathleen pulled herself out of bed and made her way to her trunk. "Dorcas sleeps pretty soundly; just save yourself some time and borrow mine," she murmured, flourishing the jar of powder. Lily reached for it, but Kathleen pulled it away and motioned to the door.  
  
"First, you explain," she said as soon as they were out of earshot.  
  
* * *  
  
Severus Snape strode as quickly as he could down the corridor without drawing attention to himself, anxious to return to the Slytherin dungeons and the safety of one of the study rooms. Ordinarily, Snape was not a fanciful person, but tonight he told himself that if he could just make it back to the study room, it would be as though he'd never left it, as though he'd never spoken to the Mudblood and betrayed everything and everyone that had always been considered significant in his life.  
  
Snape reached his usual study room on the third floor and locked the door with a charm, leaning against it as he struggled to regain his composure enough to consider logically all that had happened over the last few days. Snape's hands shook as the enormity of his betrayal struck him anew  
  
After several deep, calming breaths, Snape managed to put a stop to the shaking and even felt in control of himself enough to consider this latest situation.  
  
Lestrange, deeply ambitious at any time, had seemingly become consumed by it since the New Year's Eve attacks. From what Snape had heard, Lestrange was immensely dissatisfied with his position in the Dark Lord's ranks and at the slowness with which he was rising; his role in the New Year's attacks had been much smaller than Lestrange had anticipated and, though he had made every effort to the contrary, had not managed to distinguish himself in Voldemort's eyes.  
  
But it seemed Lestrange had finally devised a plan to win the glory he craved: he planned to kill Albus Dumbledore.  
  
It was popular wisdom in the wizarding community, Dark circles included, that Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort feared and that the Dark Lord considered Dumbledore to be his greatest and most powerful adversary. Undoubtedly, the wizard who did away with him would have the Dark Lord's eternal gratitude and highest esteem, and Lestrange planned to be that wizard. Snape knew, both from rumors and from his own personal impressions, the Lestrange had been highly dissatisfied with his place in the Dark Lord's service since leaving Hogwarts. At Hogwarts, Lestrange had been the undisputed leader of the select few and had had the respect and fear of his peers. But since joining Voldemort's cause openly after leaving school, Lestrange was at the bottom rung of the ladder and was essentially little more than a lackey. This change in circumstance did not suit Lestrange, and he'd become nearly obsessed with changing it.  
  
Snape had found out about this plan quite by accident late last night when he, unable to sleep, had ventured down to the common room where he had left a few of his textbooks earlier in the evening. As he'd approached the common room, Snape had heard whispering and had immediately drawn back into the shadows to listen.  
  
He'd been just in time for an impromptu meeting between Bellatrix, Lestrange's brother Rabastan, Rosier, and Wilkes. Holding his breath, Snape had listened to Bellatrix outline Lestrange's plan to the others. Bellatrix had explained how they would rendezvous with other Death Eaters in Hogsmeade the next night and then they would all Apparate to the Ministry together where they would find Dumbledore in a Wizengamot meeting that Lestrange's source within the Ministry had assured him would go on for most of the night. The assembled group had agreed to meet again the next night in the burnt remains of Greenhouse 4 to confirm the plan and to receive a departure time from Bellatrix.  
  
His classmates rose and Snape collected his wits just in time to realize they would be coming up the steps at any moment and would discover him. Soundlessly, Snape slipped round the corner, up the stairs, and into his bed before Bellatrix and the other realized something was amiss.  
  
So Snape had made an excuse to get out of tonight's Prefect meeting and had instead slipped into Greenhouse 4 twenty minutes before the prearranged time. Securely hidden among the wreckage, Snape had eavesdropped on Bellatrix as she informed the others that they would leave at eleven and discussed some of the details with the others. Snape waited a good while after the meeting had broken up to ensure that he wouldn't be seen near the greenhouse, his thoughts in a whirl.  
  
As Snape made his way back to the castle, he tried to persuade himself not to care, that Dumbledore meant nothing to him personally and that any concern he felt should be on the behalf of the Dark Lord's cause.  
  
After twenty minutes or so of these attempts, Snape grudgingly accepted that his self-discipline was not what he had thought it was and admitted to himself that he was going to do something. Much as he wished it otherwise, his conscience could not reconcile with Dumbledore's murder.  
  
The question that remained was what exactly was he going to do? He couldn't go to the Ministry and warn Dumbledore and the Wizengamot himself; he couldn't risk being tied to this situation in any way. A professor would ask too many questions and was certain to tell the wrong people, and there were no guarantees where any of his fellow Slytherins' loyalties would ultimately lie. The only option remaining was a student from another house. This too presented difficulties; Snape did not exactly have civil terms acquaintances outside of Slytherin House.  
  
Finally Snape remembered his encounter with Lily Evans in Knockturn Alley; Evans was a Mudblood, true, but she was intelligent and capable of keeping a secret, and her loyalty to Dumbledore couldn't be questioned.  
  
So Severus Snape had set out to find Lily Evans, hoping that since she had trusted him enough to help her out of Knockturn Alley, she would trust him enough to help him now.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily quickly explained the basic facts to Kathleen, who was willing to help as soon as Lily got to the part about Dumbeldore being in danger. Listening to Lily outline her plan, Kathleen didn't waste any time in pointing out Lily's one glaring problem: getting there.  
  
"You can't actually travel by Floo powder from the common room fires," Kathleen explained. "Only your head can. We'll have to break into a professor's office for more than just your head to get to the Ministry."  
  
Lily, thoroughly confused by this, decided not to waste time with unnecessary explanations and bow to Kathleen's superior expertise in this matter. So five minutes later, Lily and Kathleen, who was still clad in pajamas and dressing gown, stood in Professor McGonagall's office, lighting a fire and glancing over their shoulders all the while.  
  
"I don't know how James and the others do this all the time," Lily whispered nervously, after jumping at yet another slight noise.  
  
"Me neither," Kathleen whispered back. "I keep thinking McGonagall's going to come charging in here breathing fire and burn us both to a crisp."  
  
"Right, everything's ready," Lily opened the jar and removed a pinch of Floo powder. "After I go, could you put an Everflame spell on the fire before you go back to Gryffindor Tower so the fire doesn't go out on me?"  
  
"Sure," Kathleen suddenly seemed apprehensive. "Good luck, Lily."  
  
"Thanks," Lily smiled briefly before stepping into the flames.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily landed with a thud in a new fireplace. Dusting herself off, she peered out into what appeared to be the Ministry's lobby. Fireplaces lined both long walls of the room and in the middle was a fountain featuring statues of a wizard, witch, elf, centaur, and goblin, all spouting water. Glancing further down the room, Lily spotted a golden gate and what appeared to be a night watchman standing in front of it. Perfect. No doubt she needed to go through it to get to wherever Dumbledore was.  
  
Lily approached the guard apprehensively, not sure what exactly she was going to say.  
  
"Who are you?" the guard demanded as Lily approached  
  
"Er – "Lily couldn't string a sentence together to save her life.  
  
"What are you doing here?".the guard tried a new tact.  
  
"I need to see – "Lily broke off as a telltale whoosh and thud from one of the fireplaces signaled someone else's arrival. A moment later a tall, red-haired wizard in rather shabby robes stepped from the fireplace and dusted himself off before striding toward the gate.  
  
"Evening, Ed," the tall wizard greeted the guard.  
  
"Evening, Arthur. What keeps you out so late?" Ed the guard inquired.  
  
"Raids." Arthur sighed, looking thoroughly exhausted. "Got a tip-off about someone selling biting geraniums to Muggles in Nottingham. I've just got to pop into the office to write up the reports before I go home."  
  
The guard clicked his tongue sympathetically as he unlocked the gate. "When will they ever learn?"  
  
Arthur noticed Lily then. "Hello," he said pleasantly, not indicating that he found Lily's presence unusual.  
  
"Hi," Lily smiled back.  
  
"She one of yours, Arthur?" Ed interrupted, eyeing Lily suspiciously. "Yours've all got red hair, haven't they?"  
  
"No, this girl isn't one of my children," Arthur hedged, glancing again at Lily's desperate expression. "But she's – er – with me! Yes!" Arthur blurted, apparentlydeciding to help Lily. "Witness, you know, got to get her statement for the report."  
  
"Right," Lily said importantly, shooting Arthur a look of pure gratitude. "These biting geraniums can be quite vicious."  
  
"Humph," Ed snorted as he unlocked the gate. "I'll be seeing you, Arthur. Good evening, miss."  
  
"Be seeing you, Ed," Arthur echoed, slightly nervous now. "My best to the family."  
  
Lily and Arthur made their way to the lifts under Ed's watchful eye, neither of them daring to say anything. When the lift door finally opened, Lily collapsed against the wall with a sigh. That had been close.  
  
"What floor?" Arthur asked politely.  
  
"The second," Lily answered, having consulted the directory next to the lift.  
  
Arthur pressed the button and extended his hand to Lily. "Arthur Weasley."  
  
"I'm Lily Evans," Lily responded, taking Arthur's hand and offering him a dazzling smile. "Thank you so much for your help back there."  
  
Arthur waved off her thanks. "Who are you here to see?"  
  
"I can't tell you that," Lily replied regretfully. "You won't be here long, will you?" she asked after a moment.  
  
"No, not long at all," Arthur seemed surprised by the question, but before he could say anything more the elevator stopped and the doors opened onto Lily's floor.  
  
"Go home as soon as you can," Lily said as she stepped out. "Thank you again," she added as the doors closed.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily had to wander a bit before she finally found the Wizengamot chambers, but from there she quickly located the room where the meeting must be taking place. Lily took a deep breath and knocked on the locked door.  
  
The room went silent and after a moment a wizard cautiously opened the door a crack. "Yes?" he inquired warily.  
  
"I need to speak with Professor Dumbledore," Lily said. "It's urgent."  
  
"Just a moment, please," the wizard replied tonelessly and closed the door again. It was only a moment before the door reopened, but it was the longest moment of Lily's life.  
  
Suddenly Dumbledore was standing in the hallway in front of her. "Lily?" he asked mildly, his concern evident. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Professor," Lily began urgently, "I came to warn you; right now, a group of Death Eaters are coming here to kill you and the other Wizengamot members."  
  
Lily quickly told Dumbledore everything except her source and Dumbledore asked a number of questions, most of which Lily didn't know the answer to. She'd never seen Dumbledore like this; his eyes blazed and he seemed even taller and more impressive than usual.  
  
Dumbledore brought Lily into the conference room while he told her story to the other Wizengamot members, all of whom thanked Lily profusely for warning them and asked her hundreds of questions. Lily answered as many as she could, a bit surprised that they all seemed to be taking it so well. But then, Lily reflected, the Wizengamot members were extremely important in wizarding society; attempts on their lives by Voldemort must be fairly routine by now.  
  
A veritable army of Aurors came to intercept the Death Eaters, surrounding the main floor, the lifts, and the second floor offices. Others escorted the Wizengamot members and any other Ministry personnel home, not taking any chances in case the Death Eaters decided to ambush them once they'd left the building.  
  
Five Aurors, including Mad Eye Moody, were assigned to escort Professor Dumbledore and Lily back to Hogwarts. Lily was amazed by Moody's vigilance; it bordered on paranoia in her opinion. He sent three Aurors ahead of them on the Floo network to ensure that Dumbledore's office was secure, then instructed them to Floo back so they knew it was safe. Then those same Aurors Flooed ahead one more time, followed by Lily and Dumbledore with Moody and yet another Auror bringing up the rear. Lily was surprised he hadn't taken their urine samples to inspect for traces of Polyjuice Potion.  
  
When the Aurors finally left – Dumbledore had had quite a time persuading Moody that a guard detail was unnecessary – it was nearly three o'clock. Desperate for sleep, Lily turned to Dumbeldore to say good night.  
  
"If it's all right, I think I'll go back to Gryffindor Tower now, sir," Lily stifled a yawn. "I have to be up in a few hours."  
  
"Of course, Lily," Dumbledore smiled at her, and Lily wondered why he didn't look tired. "Thank you again for what you did tonight. Your courage is admirable."  
  
Lily flushed. "Er – thank you. Professor?" Lily asked after a pause.  
  
"Yes, Lily?" Dumbledore regarded her levelly.  
  
"I hope you understand why I can't tell you who I heard this from," Lily began hesitantly. "It's not my secret to tell, in a way."  
  
"I quite understand," Dumbledore smiled knowingly. "Don't concern yourself with it. I believe I have some idea as to who your source is anyway, but I have every intention of respecting that individual's privacy. They found a way to warn me tonight at great personal risk; the very least I can do is help to protect them from a madman."  
  
Quite suddenly, Dumbledore looked old and tired, and Lily wondered just how much he knew. But as she'd said before, she couldn't tell secrets that weren't hers; she could hardly expect Dumbledore to.  
  
"Well," Lily said finally, her exhaustion taking over, "I'd best be going. It's already late, and I have to stop at Professor McGonagall's office and put out the fire I used to Floo to the Ministry."  
  
"I will pretend that I have gone temporarily deaf and therefore did not hear that last remark," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at her and Lily felt inordinately pleased that she'd managed to cheer him up in a way.  
  
"Good night," Lily grinned, a rush of affection for Dumbledore filling her suddenly.  
  
"Good night, Lily," Dumbledore answered. "Thank you again."  
  
* * *  
  
Lily managed somehow to get through the next day on the little sleep she had got, and the day after passed fairly uneventfully as well, Lily doing nothing more remarkable than catching up on lost sleep. She filled Kathleen in with as many details as she could and somehow she managed not to tell anyone else about her adventure.  
  
It was on the day after that that another significant event occurred in Lily's life.  
  
Lily and James were sitting together in the common room, Lily catching up with her neglected homework, James pretending to study while he actually read Quidditch Through the Ages for the hundredth time and thought up new Quidditch tactics to try out. The common room was deserted; it was quite late and everyone else had gone to bed, even Sirius, Remus, and Peter, who were all trying to get as much sleep as possible for the full moon the following night.  
  
Looking up from her reading, Lily glanced over at James and almost laughed. James, his robes and hair in complete disarray, was biting the end of his quill as he drew out Quidditch maneuvers on a piece of parchment, frowning in concentration.  
  
He doesn't have any studying he has to do, Lily realized. He just pretended that he did so that he could be with me. Lily went back to her reading, smiling inwardly as she thought of James.  
  
As pleasant as thinking of James was, it was also very distracting, and before she knew it, Lily was sneaking another glance at her boyfriend.  
  
Again, Lily fought the urge to laugh at his disheveled and clearly exhausted state. He looks completely ridiculous, Lily thought, but he's still adorable. And sweet. And pretty much perfect, actually.  
  
James looked up to see Lily regarding him with an odd expression on her face. "Are you finished?" he asked, slightly confused.  
  
"I love you."  
  
Lily and James stared at each other, shocked at what had just come tumbling out of Lily's mouth.  
  
"What did you say?" James managed.  
  
"I love you," Lily repeated, her smile dazzling. It was like a huge weight had been lifted; she really did love him. Maybe she hadn't been expecting to say it, but the moment she'd said it Lily had known it was true. She really did love him and had known it for a long time now.  
  
"I love you too," James said exuberantly, grinning so hard it was nearly painful as the flip flops in his stomach reached unparalleled levels. It was such a relief to say it out loud after holding it in for so long. And who would ever have thought that Lily Evans would love him? Or that she would say it first when he, James, had known since the age of eleven that he loved her. Lily never failed to surprise him, that was for sure.  
  
Suddenly, Lily and James both seemed to realize that they were sitting there grinning stupidly at each other when they could be kissing instead and reached for each other, all pretenses of studying forgotten.  
  
"How long have you known you loved me?" James asked quite a while later, he and Lily once again tangled together in their familiar armchair by the fire.  
  
Lily rolled her eyes at his arrogance, but it wasn't precisely effective, as she couldn't stop grinning while she did it. "I don't know," she answered finally. "I just realized it just now and the words popped out before I really knew what was happening."  
  
"Glad you did," James grinned equally as stupidly. "I mean, I've known I loved you since first year and I couldn't manage to spit it out."  
  
"Good thing one of us has some nerve in this relationship," Lily teased.  
  
It was James' turn to roll his eyes, but, like Lily's attempt, it wasn't really very effective.  
  
"We should go," Lily said a bit later, snuggling closer to James even as she spoke. "This is what got us into trouble last time."  
  
"Wait here a minute," James said, a flash of inspiration striking him. He hurried up the stairs and back with a speed that would have been remarkable if he'd stopped to think about it carrying a bundle under one arm.  
  
Recognizing the bundle, Lily grinned and moved over to make room for James once again. When they were both finally settled, James draped his invisibility cloak over them and once again Lily and James drifted off to sleep tangled together in the armchair.  
  
* * *.  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Hi, everyone, sorry it took me so long again to update. I'm still busy and don't have as much time as I used to for writing. As always, thank you to everyone who reviewed. 


	37. Secrets Part II

Chapter 36 Secrets Part II  
  
"Oy! Sirius! I don't see them, they must have – OUCH!"  
  
"Shhh! Shut it, you git! Do you want to wake them up?"  
  
"They're not here, that's what I was trying to tell you!"  
  
"Not NOW they're not, they heard YOU making enough noise to wake the dead and had plenty of time to get away!"  
  
"Don't lay into Wormtail, Padfoot, it's not like it matters anyway; they aren't here."  
  
Lily and James, still curled together under the invisibility cloak, woke to the familiar sounds of Sirius and Peter arguing over how to best embarrass them while Remus mediated and were forced to smother their laughter when they realized that for once they had gotten the upper hand.  
  
"You were wrong," a familiar but completely unexpected voice called to someone out of Lily and James' line of sight, "they aren't in the common room again."  
  
"Oh, bugger," Alice sighed in response to Morwenna's observation, "I thought for sure that we'd catch them this time." Lily stiffened in indignation as she realized that two of her closest friends had come to embarrass her and her boyfriend. So much for solidarity among witches, it seemed. She'd bloody well remember this.  
  
"Where are they, then?" Kathleen added her voice.  
  
"Maybe they finally got creative," Dorcas piped up smarmily. Make that all four of Lily's closest friends.  
  
After a few minutes of discussion, the seventh years, minus Lily and James, of course, set out for breakfast, all of them a bit disappointed not to be able to take the mickey out of their friends for spending yet another night in the common room. As soon as they were sure the coast was clear, James threw off the invisibility cloak and he and Lily glanced at each other in mutual indignation.  
  
"Our friends are a bunch of perverts!" James exclaimed irately.  
  
"I don't know why we're so surprised, after the way they were last time" Lily huffed.  
  
"You slip up and spend the night in the common room one time and you're branded for life," James shook his head.  
  
Of course, Lily and James' anger might have been a bit more convincing had they not just spent another night in the common room together and if they could have stopped grinning ridiculously as they expressed their outrage.  
  
Now that the coast was undoubtedly clear, James and Lily, after a lengthy good bye that bordered on the absurd after the amount of time they had just spent together, dashed up to their respective dormitories to change their clothes for the Hogsmeade trip. They had agreed to meet in front of the library so that it would appear to their friends that they'd come from doing some very virtuous early morning studying instead of from spending a night squashed in an armchair in the common room.  
  
Lily dashed toward the library a scant ten minutes later, arriving at the entrance out of breath. James hadn't arrived yet, so Lily took the opportunity to stretch her cramped muscles as discreetly as possible. Even though she had cricks in her back and neck, sore muscles in places she hadn't known existed, and had had only four hours of sleep, Lily couldn't remember ever feeling better in her life. She loved James and he loved her, and nothing would be able to ruin that for them.  
  
James arrived a few seconds later, out of breath and grinning euphorically at Lily. "Have you seen them yet?" he asked, still trying to catch his breath.  
  
As if on cue, Sirius' voice echoed down the hall behind them. "Overslept again, eh, James?"  
  
"Overslept?" James inquired smoothly, his tone innocently perplexed. "Why do you say that? James wrinkled his forehead for good measure.  
  
"We were just in the library," Lily added, admiring James' acting skills.  
  
Sirius quirked a brow. "Kinky."  
  
Lily and James exchanged puzzled glances, trying to refrain from giggling, and James was just about to make a retort when the rest of the seventh years, Peter and Kathleen in the lead, hurried over to add to Sirius' teasing.  
  
Even though their friends questioned them unmercifully about their whereabouts last night, Lily and James refused to admit anything, claiming to have gone to bed late last night and gotten up early to study in the library before going to Hogsmeade. Thoroughly disgusted with Lily and James' besotted grins at each other and disappointed not to have caught them being randy, their fellow seventh years were finally forced, more or less, to capitulate.  
  
The resentment didn't last long, however, once they, minus Remus, who was in the hospital wing for tonight's full moon, and Kathleen, who had stayed with him, reached Hogsmeade. Sirius, Morwenna, Alice, Peter, Frank, and Dorcas were determined not to let Lily and James sneak off, so they all wandered the streets of Hogsmeade together, making the usual stops at Honeyduke's, Zonko's and Dervish and Bange's, constantly teasing Lily and James about their newfound state of nauseating happiness.  
  
The ground was still covered with what would probably be the last major snowfall of the year, and Sirius and James declared a snowball fight in the yard behind The Three Broomsticks. Eventually everyone agreed to play, some more reluctantly than others, and the two teams, boy versus girls, began to construct snow forts at opposite ends of the field.  
  
Sirius, James, Peter, and Frank had a clear lead for most of the game, all of them more than willing, especially James and Sirius, to fight dirty and make raids into the girls' fort to bombard them with snow.  
  
Sick of losing and more than a bit cold from all of the melted snow that was rapidly soaking into their clothes, Alice, Lily, Morwenna, and Dorcas huddled together to form a plan.  
  
Unanimously deciding that Peter was their most likely victim, they waited until Peter made his way into their fort again, ready to pummel them with snow, to carry out their plan. As Peter began throwing the snow, Alice pretended to have been hit in the face and burst into very realistic tears, burying her face in her hands.  
  
"Ow! Ow! I think I'm blind! I can't see! Is anyone there?!" Alice wailed theatrically, rubbing her eyes.  
  
"I didn't mean to! I'm sorry, Alice!" Peter was frantic and obviously at a complete loss as to what he should do. Uncertainly, he approached the sobbing Alice, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Oh Merlin, Alice, are you all right?" Peter had never been so relieved in his life as he was when Alice slowly began to raise her head, still crying a bit.  
  
His relief was short-lived; Alice unburied her face and shouted: "Now!" very forcefully for someone who had been wailing about snow blindness only seconds before. But before Peter's brain could register this, he was being trussed up and gagged by the other three girls, who had taken the opportunity to sneak up on him, brandishing their Gryffindor scarves.  
  
Alice and Morwenna pushed Peter ahead of them out of their fort, careful to stay behind him in case any snowballs flew their way.  
  
"Come out with your hands raised!" Alice shouted, surprisingly competent in a hostage situation for someone who seemed so sweet and unassuming. "Or the little bloke gets it!" she pushed Peter, gagged with Morwenna's house scarf, as she made the threat.  
  
"He's expendable! Do whatever you want to – OUCH!" Sirius glared at James, rubbing his ribs resentfully.  
  
"We're coming out now," James called over the fort. He, Frank, and a grumbling Sirius made their way to the front of the fort, their hands raised, - and Dorcas and Lily instantly torpedoed them with snowballs.  
  
Alice and Morwenna ran to join the fray, leaving Peter bound and gagged in their fort.  
  
"Give it up, boys!" Alice exclaimed as she stuffed snow down the front of Frank's robes.  
  
"We surrender! We surrender!" Sirius cried, trying to prevent Morwenna and Dorcas from feeding him a snowball.  
  
Just put the snow down!" James pleaded, grinning at Lily as she held a snowball over his head with every intention of grinding it into his hair.  
  
Satisfied, Morwenna, Alice, Lily, and Dorcas dropped their snow and headed for The Three Broomsticks. "Losers buy drinks!" Dorcas called over her shoulder as they went, leaving the somewhat subdued Gryffindor wizards to untie their fallen comrade and scramble after them.  
  
* * *  
  
Unlike the vast majority of his fellow students, Severus Snape had opted not to go on the Hogsmeade outing. Thoroughly exhausted after his unequivocally dreadful week, Snape was taking advantage of the quiet to fine-tune his potion brewing skills, a practice he always found to be both relaxing and rewarding.  
  
Directly after breakfast, Snape gathered his supplies and barricaded himself in his usual study room in the Slytherin dungeons, and after spending much of his day concocting various draughts, Snape finally felt himself beginning to unwind.  
  
He was just cleaning up in anticipation of dinner when a scratching noise outside his door caught his attention. Curious, Snape opened the door a crack and felt the color drain from his face when he saw who, or more accurately what, it was.  
  
A certain eagle owl Snape was more than familiar with was perched on a torch facing the doorway, an imperious expression on its face. When it saw Snape, the owl abandoned its vantage point and swooped toward him, extending its leg so that Snape could remove its burden. Accepting the roll of parchment, Snape nodded curtly at the owl and willed his expression to remain impassive as he watched it glide back to its post to await his response. Only then did Snape slam the study room door shut and sink into a chair to read the parchment.  
  
The message was short and to the point, naming only a location and time, tomorrow at midnight.  
  
Shaken, Snape automatically reached for a piece of parchment and quill and penned a reply for the owl. Once the owl had swooped down the corridor with his response, Snape locked the door again, his hands clenched with his fear.  
  
This summons meant one thing: the Dark Lord knew about Snape's betrayal and was summoning him to his own execution. There were no warnings or second chances in Voldemort's ranks, not for anyone, let alone someone of Snape's lowly status.  
  
Lily Evans had told, Snape realized, fury overtaking him. The Mudblood had been unable to keep her mouth shut and her misplaced ethics would cost Snape his life. How, Snape railed at himself, could he have been so witless as to trust a Mudblood when he knew what they were?  
  
Pacing the room frantically, Snape tried to get a hold on himself and his rage and view his situation rationally. He was going to die tomorrow at midnight at Voldemort's hands. Death was the penalty for betraying the Dark Lord, it had always been the penalty and Snape was willing to accept it.  
  
But before he did, Snape vowed, he would keep his promise to Lily Evans. There were penalties for betraying him as well.  
  
His decision made, Snape picked up his quill again to write a summons of his own.  
  
* * *  
  
Tired and chilled after their day in Hogsmeade and take-no-prisoners snowball fight, the Gryffindor seventh years returned to Hogwarts just in time for dinner, most of which was spent filling Kathleen in on Hogsmeade and the outcome of the snowball fight, which Kathleen was deeply sorry to have missed.  
  
Immediately after dinner, which they ate in record time, the three Marauders made hasty excuses and hurried out of the Great Hall, to the puzzlement of everyone except Lily and Kathleen. The remaining Gryffindors made their way back to Gryffindor Tower for an Exploding Snap tournament.  
  
Round seven, a school owl dropped a letter into Lily's lap, which very nearly set her hand on fire. Once she'd put her cards a safe distance away, Lily turned her attention to the letter. Only her name was written on the front, in spidery handwriting that she didn't recognize. Frowning slightly, Lily tore it open.  
  
"Evans –"it read:  
  
"Greenhouse 4, 9 pm tonight.  
  
"S.S"  
  
"Who's it from, Lils?" Alice asked, noting Lily frown.  
  
"Er – "Lily tried to recover her composure "- it's from Marlene. She – er – wrote it really fast or something and it's a bit hard to read. I'm going to go to the library and see if I can make it out."  
  
"All right," Alice replied hesitantly, not convinced. She seemed to be about to ask another question, but just then a rather large explosion from across the table claimed her attention. Relieved, Lily bid her friends a hasty farewell and hurried up the dormitory stairs, smuggled her cloak into her bag, and slipped out the portrait hole.  
  
Lily killed time in the library till it was time to slip out of the castle to meet Snape and reached the greenhouse in record time. Heart pounding, Lily scanned the burnt remains of Greenhouse 4 for any signs of movement.  
  
"Evans," a familiar voice whispered behind her, making Lily jump. But before Snape could say anything more, both stiffened as they heard footsteps crunching on the walkway and the murmur of voices coming toward the greenhouse. Snape and Lily peered out and saw Professor Sprout and Hagrid coming toward them, deep in discussion about rebuilding plans for the greenhouse.  
  
Cursing under his breath, Snape seized Lily's arm and led her quickly toward the Forbidden Forest.  
  
* * *  
  
The Marauders had decided to devote this month's full moon to the exploration of the Forbidden Forest; they had just been prowling through the forset's center in search of the acromantulas that supposedly resided there. Their search having been unsuccessful, Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were heading back toward the school to decide on a new plan.  
  
Wormtail was a good bit ahead, as usual, leaving the larger animals to herd Moony, when the crash of underbrush alerted Wormtail to the approach of what his heightened senses told him were people. Curious as to who from Hogwarts was in the Forbidden Forest at this time of night, Wormtail scampered in the direction of the noise, his senses alert.  
  
Snape and Lily rounded a corner and came into Wormtail's line of sight, Snape retaining his vicelike grip on Lily's arm.  
  
Shocked at the sight in front of him, Wormtail let out a loud, high- pitched squeal to alert Padfoot and Prongs and backed into the underbrush out of sight to wait and listen.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily shivered as she heard an animal emit a shrill squeal; she didn't want to think about its probable fate. The sound also made Lil aware of her own dangerous situation as Snape finally stopped a little way into the forest and turned to face her. Suddenly angry, Lily jerked her arm from Snape's grasp.  
  
"What in the bloody hell do you think you're about?" Lily demanded, rubbing her arm furiously.  
  
"Who did you tell?" Snape hissed menacingly, advancing on Lily as though she were his prey.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Lily added confusion to her fury.  
  
"You know," Snape gritted out, visibly fighting for control of himself. "Who did you tell, Evans? Dumbledore? Your boyfriend? The enitre bloody Wizengamot? Who?!"  
  
"I promised you that I wouldn't tell anyone and I didn't," Lily replied coolly. "Not even Dumbledore when he asked me." Realization dawning on her, Lily frowned slightly, her eyes sharpening on Snape. "Has something happened?"  
  
"I remember what you promised me," Snape ignored Lily's question, his tone full of intent, "but do you remember what I promised you, Mudblood? I said that if the Death Eaters found out about my role in what happened that night they'd kill me, and before they did I'd kill you," Snape drew out his wand and leveled it at Lily's heart as he finished reminding her of his promise, his voice chilling in its calm.  
  
All of a sudden, a stag came charging toward them, heading directly toward Snape. "Stupefy!" Snape bellowed, turning his wand on the animal. Another shrill squeal came from the underbrush as the stag hit the ground and somewhere in the distance, Lily and Snape could hear a dog barking. They moved away from the Stunned stag, not anxious to have to contend with it again on top of their more pressing problems.  
  
"They know?" Lily asked Snape a few moments later. Her own wand was clutched tightly in her hand now and she was watching Snape warily, having had a chance to recover from her own surprise.  
  
"Yes," Snape croaked, his face impassive. His wand was still in his hand, but to Lily's relief it was no longer pointed at her.  
  
"Go to Dumbledore," Lily advised softly, feeling sorry for Snape in spite of everything. "He may be able to protect you if you tell him what's going on."  
  
Snape shook his head slowly. "Dumbledore can't help me now," he said simply.  
  
They regarded one another silently, neither of them knowing what to say to the other. Finally Snape fidgeted slightly. "It would be wise to return to the ccastle now," he offered stiffly.  
  
"All right," Lily agreed, not knowing what else to say. Saying she was sorry seemed so inadequate and pointless; it wasn't as though she were the one planning to execute Snape. But she WAS sorry; Snape wasn't the most friendly or kindhearted of wizards, but he didn't deserve to die at Voldemort's hands for attempting to prevent mass murder. Deserving or not, there was absolutely nothing Lily could do to help him, and she was even more sorry for that.  
  
Wordlessly, Lily and Snape turned and made their way back to the castle.  
  
* * *  
  
A few minutes later, Prongs regained consciousness, shaking his antlered head against the pain his fall had caused him. The dog and rat standing over him reminded Prongs of what had happened, and he climbed to his feet and made for the Shrieking Shack as quickly as he could, Padfoot and Wormtail close on his heels.  
  
Padfoot and Prongs had been escorting Moony back toward the Shack, Wormtail up ahead , when Wormtail had shrieked, indicating danger. Wordlessly, Padfoot had begun herding Moony toward the Shack as quickly as he could while Prongs set out to rescue Wormtail.  
  
As he'd approached the clearing, Prongs saw the reason for Wormtail's alarm; Lil had been in that clearing with Snape, of all people. Alarmed and confused, Prongs had listened to Snape's frenzied accusations and Lily's stoic replies until Snape had reiterated his promise and trained his wand on Lily. Reacting in fear and fury, Prongs had charged Snape with every intention of killing him until Snape had turned his wand on Prongs instead.  
  
Making sure that Moony was secure in the shack, Prongs, Padfoot, and Wormtail stood just outside and transformed into their human shapes.  
  
"Where's Lily?" James demanded as soon as he was coherent. "What did that bastard do to her?"  
  
"She's all right, mate," Sirius reassured him. "We followed them all the way back to the castle."  
  
James rounded on Peter. "Tell me everything you heard," he demanded.  
  
Several minutes later, James, Peter, and Sirius silently digested Peter's story, none of them at all sure what to make of it.  
  
"So – what do we do now?" Peter hesitantly broke the silence.  
  
"Now we find Lily and get some answers, then we find Snape and hex the shit out of him," James replied, starting for the castle.  
  
"And what about Moony?" Sirius drawled. "We leave him in there to suffer by himself, do we? That's right sweet of us."  
  
James and Peter both turned and gaped at him. "Lily in league with Snape and Padfoot the voice of reason? Hell has officially frozen over," Peter declared.  
  
"Well, somebody's got to be the sensible one when Moony's not about to do it and Prongs over here is too besotted to think straight," Sirius defended himself.  
  
"And Lily is NOT in league with Snape," James added hotly. "In case you've forgotten, he was about to kill her!"  
  
"But he didn't," Sirius retorted, "and he won't exactly have an easy time of it now he's back in the castle. Lily's safe for right now; I say we wait out the full moon, calm down, talk to Moony, and THEN go and kill Snape when we have a rational plan of action."  
  
"Padfoot just said 'wait,' 'calm down,' and 'rational' all in the same breath!" Peter squeaked, clearly disturbed. "Something is definitely not right here!"  
  
"Will you just put a bloody cork in it before you wet yourself and get your bloody priorities straight?" Sirius snapped, sounding much more like himself to Peter's ears.  
  
In no mood to listen to his mates' bickering and acknowledging that Sirius was right in spite of himself, James reluctantly transformed and made his way back to the Shrieking Shack to wait out the full moon, feeling more miserable than he could ever remember feeling in his entire life.  
  
* * *  
  
Despite being out for most of the night, James was up and in the common room before seven, unable to stay in bed any longer for fear of missing Lily.  
  
After talking to Remus in the wee hours of the morning, they had all agreed that James should talk to Lily first to make sure they had a legitimate reason to kill Snape. James would explain that he'd overheard Lily and Snape in the forest, but he would reveal how exactly he'd overheard them only if necessary.  
  
James had a long wait; Lily didn't appear in the common room till one in the afternoon, having, according to her roommates, been asleep all that time. Intensely relieved at the sight of her, James bounded over to Lily and pulled her into a crushing hug before holding her at arm's length to inspect her for any sign of injury.  
  
Lily was pale and tired-looking despite her supposed long sleep, with bruise-like circles under her eyes, but she smiled at the sight of James and endured his odd behavior tolerantly, apparently very happy to see him as well.  
  
"Hi," James finally said exuberantly, grinning madly at Lily.  
  
"Hi," Lily returned, her smile a bit more restrained, bit seeming genuinely happy to see James nevertheless.  
  
Taking a deep breath to ask her about last night, James heard himself saying: "Are you hungry?"  
  
"No, I'm in a bit of a hurry, actually," Lily replied evasively. She's stayed up all night worrying over Snape and had decided that she had to do something. Dumbledore was the wisest, most powerful wizard alive, or so everyone said and so Lily believed; it seemed impossible that he couldn't help Snape in some way. So Lily had decided to go and see Dumbledore today and tell him everything she knew.  
  
Recalled to her mission, Lily refused to be distracted, gorgeous boyfriend or no gorgeous boyfriend. James caught her hand as she turned to go. "Wait," he said desperately, his heart in his throat, "I need to talk to you about something. It can't wait."  
  
Puzzled, Lily turned back to James. "What is it?" she asked curiously, smiling at him uncertainly.  
  
Glancing over his shoulder, James led Lily through the nearly deserted common room and into a secluded corner. Then he looked Lily in the eye and blurted: "I saw you talking to Snape last night."  
  
"What?" Whatever Lily had been expecting, it certainly wasn't that. "But you couldn't have," she said more slowly, "there wasn't anyone else there."  
  
"It isn't important," James waved the question aside. "Lily, you have to tell me, why is Snape threatening you?"  
  
"He isn't threatening me," Lily sighed. "Not really."  
  
"Yes he is!" James exploded, astounded that Lily would protect Snape. "I heard him! He pointed his wand at you and said that he'd kill you before the Death Eaters killed him!"  
  
"How could you possibly know all of this?" Lily demanded.  
  
"That isn't important right now!" James exclaimed, raking his hand through his hair in extreme frustration. Fighting for control over the panic rising in him, James took a deep breath and said in a more even tone: "Just tell me what hold that bastard has on you and I swear to you that he'll never bother you again."  
  
"What Snape and I were discussing is between us," Lily said stiffly, not meeting James' eyes. She and Snape were already in danger because of their involvement in thwarting the Death Eaters; she refused to out anyone else in danger, especially not James, who she loved more than anything.  
  
"But he threatened to kill you!" James' desperation had returned in full force.  
  
"How do you know that?' Lily repeated, her suspicion growing. "Were you spying on me?" she half-whispered, hurt.  
  
"Of course not," James said impatiently.  
  
"Then how did you hear and see all of this?"  
  
"I can't tell you." James wasn't meeting Lily's eyes anymore  
  
"Why not?" Lily pressed.  
  
James expelled a breath that he hadn't known he was holding. "Because it isn't my secret to tell." Unable to stop himself, James asked again: "But that really isn't what's important right now. What does Snape want from you?"  
  
"I can't tell you," Lily maintained resolutely.  
  
"Sure you can," James unleashed his most charming grin, his most persuasive tone. "You can tell me anything."  
  
"It isn't my secret to tell," Lily was resolutely ignoring the butterflies that invaded her stomach whenever James smiled at her that way.  
  
"Is it his secret?" James, irrationally jealous and desperately afraid for Lily, refused to be deterred.  
  
"Does it matter?"  
  
"I know what Snape is, Lily! Hurting him would mean less than nothing to him and I refuse to let that happen!"  
  
Touched by James' concern, Lily said in a softer tone: "Please just trust me; I'll tell you what I can, when I can. But not now."  
  
"I DO trust you, it's him you've got to look out for," James replied earnestly. "What kind of secret could he ask you to keep from me and Dumbledore and the entire bloody Wizengamot? A Dark secret!"  
  
Lily shook her head. "You're wrong."  
  
"You're the one who's wrong to trust Snape!" James exploded, losing his patience. "He's fascinated by the Dark Arts! That slimy little git is always sticking his nose where it doesn't belong and this time it's finally going to come back to haunt him!"  
  
Lily visibly blanched at James' unfortunate choice of words, the irony of it hitting her almost physically. "I've got to go," she mumbled frantically, crossing to the portrait hole faster than she ever had in her life.  
  
"Lily!" James called desperately, starting after her. "Wait!"  
  
But nefore he could catch up, the portrait hole shut behind Lily with a resounding bang.  
  
* * *  
  
Furious with himself for handling his confrontation with Lily so poorly and even more furious with Snape for threatening her, James collected the invisibility cloak and Marauder's Map, and, without waiting for his fellow Marauders or for any logic to penetrate his brain, James set out for the Slytherin common room to make Snape pay.  
  
Once inside the Slytherin common room, it didn't take James long to track Snape to one of the study rooms on the second floor. Disarming the locking charm, James threw open the door and with a flick of his wand, blasted Snape unceremoniously into the wall.  
  
Before Snape had time to recover himself, James was there, hauling her off the ground by the front of his robes.  
  
"Potter," Snape spat, short of breath. "To what do I owe the intrusion?"  
  
"If I EVER," James spoke in a deliberate, soft tone, "catch you threatening, talking to, or even looking at my girlfriend ever again, it will be the last thing you do."  
  
"Subtlety never was your style," Snape sneered, his face pale due to the loss of blood flow to the head from James' grip, "and it doesn't suit you now. Don't pretend Evans hasn't told you all about our disastrous little conspiracy, Potter. I know she sold me out." Snape's lip curled as he formed the words; he hated himself for not being able to kill the Mudblood as he'd wanted to.  
  
"I don't know what sick Dark secret you're forcing Lily to keep for you," James' face was pale now too; the stunned look on his face after hearing Snape's words almost made it all worth it for Snape, "but I promise you that I'll make you regret it. You have me to deal with now, Snivellus, and if you think you'll get another opportunity to use or threaten Lily, think again." James threw Snape against the wall and stood over him, every line of his body telling Snape that he meant exactly what he said.  
  
Despite James' threats and the considerable pain in his throat and his impending execution, Snape's lips curled into a smile of triumph. The Mudblood had kept her word in one area at least; she hadn't told the one person Snape had thought for sure she had betrayed him to. Potter really didn't know; for once, Snape had the upper hand and he relished it.  
  
A fresh wave of fury washed over James when he saw Snape's smile. "On second thought, why should I wait for next time when I can make you sorry now?" James snarled, moving toward Snape menacingly.  
  
Snape pulled himself to his feet, his own hatred coming to the fore now. "Shall we take this into the corridor, Potter?" he seethed.  
  
James gave Snape a lopsided, arrogant smirk. "With pleasure."  
  
* * *  
  
James circled Snape slowly, not daring to look away for a second. They'd been duelling in earnest for about ten minutes now, and neither of them was showing signs of weakening. They were evenly matched in an odd way; Snape used Dark spells that James had no knowledge of without hesitation, and James' superior reflexes and resourcefulness as well as his own magical talents made him an evenly matched competitor.  
  
"Romprio!" Snape bellowed suddenly, gesturing at James with his wand, and James felt himself hurtling toward the wall with sickening speed.  
  
"Lentia!" James cried, slowing his body just before he hit the wall. Safely on his feet again, he took his turn at casting a spell, hitting Snape squarely with a Jelly Legs Jinx.  
  
"Snape! Potter!" an angry voice barked from behind James. "What in Merlin's name are the pair of you doing?!"  
  
James turned slowly to regard Professor Astral as the professor strode past him to help Snape with his Jelly Legs.  
  
"Well?" Astral demanded impatiently, looking from one to the other when neither of them started to explain.  
  
Snape and James remained silent; all three of them were perfectly aware of what James and Snape had been doing; there was no need to incriminate themselves further.  
  
Astral sighed, fed up. "Headmaster's office, NOW. Both of you." With that, Astral turned and strode down the corridor, leaving James and Snape to follow in his wake.  
  
They waited outside while Astral spoke to Dumbledore, neither of them speaking, unable to guarantee their self control if they did.  
  
The rumble of stone on stone filled the silence as the gargoyle statue revealed the staircase and Professor Astral once more.  
  
"The Headmaster wants to see you separately," Astral announced, his mouth tight with anger. "Potter, you first."  
  
Oddly relieved that Dumbledore was now involved, one way or the other, James moved past Astral and Snape and stepped onto the stairway, as he had so many times before in his Hogwarts career.  
  
Stepping off the starircase and taking a deep breath, James knocked on the door of Dumbledore's office  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Hi, everyone! Even though I'm sure some of you were wondering, I did not fall off the face of the earth or suddenly contract amnesia and forget I was writing this story. I can't believe it's been so long since I've updated, but it feels good to be writing again. Thanks to all of you for being so supportive of me and this story, even with the sporadic updates.  
  
Also, my sincerest apologies for the cliffhanger; I'm too exhausted to write anymore right now and this chapter ran long anyway. But I'll try to have the next chapter out as soon as I can.  
  
As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed. Hope you enjoy! 


	38. Secrets Part III

Chapter 37 Secrets Part III  
  
Lily had run from the common room as fast as her feet could carry her after her confrontation with James, her thoughts spinning in her head in a dizzying blur. Once she'd reached the second floor corridor, Lily finally stopped running and drew in a deep breath, trying to compose herself before going to see the headmaster. After a few more deep breaths, Lily felt much more composed, but decided to give herself another few minutes before actually attempting to tell her complicated tale to Dumbledore.  
  
Now that she felt a bit more calm, Lily realized that she shouldn't have reacted to James' remark about Snape the way that she had; James had no idea what was going on and hadn't meant the remark the way she'd taken it.  
  
Though the logical part of her brain told her this, the rest of Lily's mind wasn't yet ready to talk to James about it. Lily had more important things to do, mainly go and see Dumledore about Snape before it was too late. Then maybe she would be in a fit state to explain everything to James in a somewhat rational way.  
  
Resolved once again, Lily took another few seconds to make certain that she was calm, then made her way to Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Lily," Dumbledore had said, sounding mildly surprised to see her, "Is something wrong?" Not waiting for any further invitation, Lily had blurted it all out, telling Dumbledore everything that had been said and done last night with the exception of one thing: she didn't give Dumbledore Snape's name. Though it couldn't possibly make a difference now, Lily was reluctant to break her promise to him.  
  
As the words tumbled from Lily's mouth, Dumbledore's usually good-humored expression grew more and more grim until he looked as invincible as he had when Lily had come to warn him at the Wizengamot meeting.  
  
"Lily," Dumbledore cut in urgently the moment Lily had finished, "am I correct in assuming that this person who warned you about the Ministry attack and threatened you last night is Severus Snape?" Lily nodded wordlessly, too surprised by this revelation to speak.  
  
"And this summons that Mr. Snape spoke of is at midnight tonight?" Dumbledore pressed, his blazing eyes contradicting his seemingly casual demeanor.  
  
"Yes," Uncertain, Lily found her voice. "Has Snape spoken to you about it?"  
  
"I guessed," Dumbledore replied simply, answering Lily's unspoken question. And just for a moment, despite how serious the situation was, his eyes twinkled merrily at Lily.  
  
"Oh." Lily was momentarily at a loss. "Good guess." Dumbledore gave Lily a small smile before turning back to the situation at hand.  
  
"Since Severus believes that you have betrayed him and was desperate enough to threaten you last night, it might be best if you were to go somewhere that he would not think to look for you until the time for his meeting with Lord Voldemort has come and gone," Dumbledore advised Lily.  
  
Lily hesitated; she hadn't talked to James yet and didn't want him to worry when he couldn't find her, yet what Dumbledore was saying made sense. "Maybe I could go to Hagrid's," Lily ventured at last.  
  
"An excellent idea," Dumbledore nodded. "I'll tell him to expect you," he added, pulling parchment and a quill in front of him.  
  
"Er – Professor?" Lily asked hesitantly once Dumbledore had finished his note, "What are you going to do to help Sn – Severus?"  
  
"I will speak with Mr. Snape to see if I can persuade him to confide in me," Dumbledore replied as he gave the note to Fawkes to deliver.  
  
"What if he won't?" Lily pressed. She felt suddenly desperate to know.  
  
Dumbledore sighed deeply before replying. "Then there may be nothing more that I can do," Dumbledore's voice was heavy, his expression all of a sudden weary. "We all make choices, Lily, about what we wish to believe and who or what we wish to serve. If Severus has indeed made the choice to serve Voldemort, then we may be too late to save him."  
  
Lily shook her head, instinctively denying these words. "I can't believe that there's nothing we can do to prevent Snape from being murdered," she stated vehemently.  
  
"There is always something one can do to help, but we may indeed be too late to save Severus altogether," Dumbledore explained softly. "So little is known about Voldemort's inner circle; no one seems to know who is in it, what the rituals and codes, how the members interact with Voldemort or what goals they pursue on his behalf, and the Ministry has not even begun to – "Dumbledore broke off as a staccato knock sounded on the office door.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore?" Professor Astral's muffled voice inquired.  
  
"Just a moment," Dumbledore called out in his usual mild voice. He beckoned to Lily to follow him as he crossed the office, muttered a password Lily didn't catch to one of the portraits, and gestured Lily into the staircase through the portrait hole.  
  
"Wait here until I've finished speaking to Professor Astral, then we will talk some more," Dumbledore said softly to Lily. As soon as Lily had stepped inside, Dumbledore closed the portrait hole and bid Professor Astral to enter. Lily waited in the dark of the staircase, lost in her own thoughts, until two familiar names caught her attention. Now avidly interested, Lily pressed her ear to the portrait and caught most of the professor's description of the fight between Snape and James.  
  
After Astral had finished his tale and was receiving instructions from Dumbledore, Lily groaned inwardly and resisted the temptation to storm down the stairs and knock James and Snape's heads together until her hands hurt. What in the bloody hell had possessed James to act like some sort of bloody alpha male and go and pick on the one person who was just desperate enough right now to hurt him without caring about the consequences? And had Snape decided that facing execution at the hands of Lord Voldemort wasn't enough trouble for him and gone looking for a bit more?  
  
Through her irritation, Lily heard the door close behind Professor Astral and immediately swung the portrait hole open once again. "Good heavens, girl!" the plump, offended-looking former headmaster in the portrait exclaimed. "Are you TRYING to squash me against the wall like an insect?" Lily ignored the vexed portrait and hurried over to Dumbledore.  
  
"We haven't much time," Dumbledore told Lily quietly. "It would be best if you went to Hagrid's now, and I'll come and find you after I have spoken with Mr. Potter and Mr. Snape." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled mischievously at Lily for a moment. "The plot thickens, eh, my dear?"  
  
"The only things that're thick round here are James and Snape," Lily replied dryly before crossing to the portrait hole once again. "Good luck, sir."  
  
"Thank you, Lily," Dumbledore's blue eyes danced. "I may need it."  
  
* * *  
  
James could hear murmuring voices and the shuffle of movement from within Dumbledore's office before the familiar voice called for him to enter. A cursory glance around the office, however, proved to James that he and the headmaster were alone. Deciding that Dumbledore must have been addressing one of the many portraits of Hogwarts' former headmasters that graced the office walls, James turned his attention to more pressing matters.  
  
"Well, James," Dumbledore had been patiently waiting for James to complete his examination of the office, surveying him with his usual kind, inscrutable expression, "would you care to tell me what transpired between you and Severus Snape in the dungeon corridor?"  
  
James heaved a deep breath before launching into his story, beginning with overhearing Snape and Lily's conversation in the Forbidden Forest the night before and ending with his confrontation of and subsequent duel with Snape. Of course, James had been forced to improvise on a few of the less savory facts; detention he would gladly risk to keep Snape away from Lily, but James refused to give Snape the satisfaction of having helped him obtain a life sentence in Azkaban.  
  
Dumbledore remained silent for several moments after James had finished his story, his hands steepled on the desk in front of him, apparently lost in thought. Uncomfortable with the silence, James squirmed in his seat. Had his respect for Dumbledore's intelligence been a bit less keen, James would almost have believed that the headmaster hadn't heard a word he'd said.  
  
"Is that everything you wish to tell me?" Dumbledore finally inquired in his usual mild tone. James jumped at the sound, having grown used to the silence.  
  
"Er – yes, sir," James answered hesitantly. He'd been staring at a spot on the floor, but chanced a glance up at Dumbledore then and was startled at the intensity in Dumbledore's gaze as he regarded James. It was as though the headmaster was trying to learn all of James' secrets, secrets he had no intention of revealing.  
  
Dumbledore leaned forward slightly, his eyes never wavering. "James, I am going to ask you to do something for me that will be entirely an act of faith on your part," the headmaster said quietly, the intensity in his eyes having crept into his tone. "I am going to ask you to leave this matter, and Severus Snape, alone."  
  
James opened his mouth so quickly to protest this statement it was almost a reflex.  
  
"I realize how difficult it will be for you, the most proactive of people, to do nothing when someone you care a great deal about seems to be in danger, and I cannot explain the matter to you further." Dumbledore went on with his uncanny perception; he seemed almost to read James' mind.  
  
"I need more than that," James said in as level a tone as he could manage. "Can't you tell me something?"  
  
Dumbledore merely shook his head. "A great deal is at stake," he said simply. "All I can ask is that you trust in me and in Miss Evans."  
  
"All right," James assented reluctantly. "I do trust you, Professor," he added earnestly, not wanting Dumbledore to think that he didn't.  
  
"Thank you, James," Dumbledore replied, his eyes twinkling slightly even though it was clear he was troubled. "You may send Mr. Snape in on your way out."  
  
* * *  
  
Snape approached Dumbledore's office with all the enthusiasm of someone attending his own execution. But that's later tonight, Snape thought with bitter humor.  
  
Knowing that the chances that he would survive his meeting with his leader and mentor tonight gave Snape a feeling of rather reckless freedom; it couldn't possibly matter what he said or did now. Even if he murdered James Potter, told Dumbledore he was an interfering old goat, and burned Hogwarts to the ground, he wouldn't survive long enough to pay any of the consequences.  
  
"Severus," Dumbledore said as soon as they were seated, "perhaps you'd care to tell me what transpired between yourself and James Potter?"  
  
Though Dumbledore's tone was mild, it was immediately clear to Snape that the mildness was deceiving. Dumbledore's eyes were intent upon Snape's as though he was trying to read each and every one of Snape's secrets through them.  
  
Warily, Snape gave his own carefully edited version of the events in the corridor, omitting anything to do with Potter's reasons for attacking him. Now, at least, Dumbledore would ask him questions about everything he'd left out, issue some punishment, and send him on his way. Snape had much bigger problems to contemplate than this trifling little corridor encounter with James Potter.  
  
But Snape was wrong. As soon as he'd finished speaking, Dumbledore leaned forward slightly, his eye still boring into Snape's.  
  
"Severus," Dumbledore began in an intense, quiet voice that was more effective than shouting or threats could ever hope to be, "is there anything else you wish to tell me?"  
  
"No," Snape spoke quickly, too quickly, he realized the moment the words had left his mouth. "There is nothing, Professor," he amended in what he hoped was a more convincing manner. Pretending he was a normal student concerned only with how much detention he would receive for dueling in the corridor, Snape added: "Has Potter told you differently?"  
  
"Let us not concern ourselves with that for the moment," Dumbledore waved aside the infraction. "There seems to be little point in discussing a comparatively minor problem that is symptomatic of a much larger one." After a deliberate pause, during which Severus remained silent, Dumbledore asked: "Did you threaten Lily Evans last night?"  
  
"Yes," Snape admitted; clearly Dumbledore knew that he had or he would not have asked, and there was nothing to be gained by lying.  
  
"Why, Severus?" Dumbledore pressed, a hint of intensity underlying his tone.  
  
Snape assumed an indifferent air and shrugged his shoulders. "No particular reason, Headmaster."  
  
"I see," Dumbledore wasn't fooled, Snape could tell. "Forgive me, Severus, for all of these questions I am asking you, but I have only one more: Are you in some sort of trouble, Severus?" Dumbledore probed gently.  
  
And just for a moment, as Severus Snape stared into Dumbledore's kind, intent blue eyes, he could have sworn that Dumbledore knew everything, including who had told Evans about the Wizengamot plot and what he was going to be summoned for in only a few hours, and Snape could feel his confession and pleas for help on the tip of his tongue. Snape shook himself mentally. There was no possible way for Dumbledore to know any of it, not unless Evans had told him, and if she had, Dumbledore would have had no reason to ask Snape pointlessly vague questions.  
  
His decision made, Snape pushed himself to his feet. "I'm afraid I don't know what you are referring to," he managed with a fair amount of composure. "But if I'm not needed here any longer, I'll return to the Slytherin common room. With your permission, of course," Snape looked the headmaster straight in the eye.  
  
"Of course," Dumbledore replied after a moment. "But I ask you to remember, Severus, that you can come to me at any time if you find yourself to be in trouble," Dumbledore fixed Snape with another piercing gaze, rendering Snape so uncomfortable that he could only nod. Gathering his shredded composure, Snape made his way out of the headmaster's office and down the stairway.  
  
Even if Dumbledore did know, it wouldn't change anything, Snape reflected as he hurried back to the common room. Dumbledore couldn't save him from what must inevitably come in only a few hours.  
  
* * *  
  
James hurried back to the Gryffindor common room in a numb state of shock. Drawing from his long experience as a Marauder, James' best estimate of the consequences of dueling in the corridors was a week's worth of detentions, at least. Yet he was walking out of Dumbledore's office scot-free. It boggled James' mind and went against every mischief-making experience he'd ever had. Something was definitely not right here.  
  
And Lily! Where had she gone? Had Snape found her and carried out his threats? Effectively snapped out of his shock, James picked up his pace, running full out by the time the Fat Lady's portrait came into view.  
  
But a search of the common room, library, and Great Hall as well as a thorough questioning of the seventh year girls present failed to turn up Lily. Frustrated and more than a bit concerned, James decided to do what he always did in times of stress: find Sirius.  
  
But when a search of his dormitory failed to turn up Sirius, James, thoroughly frustrated with his lack of detective skills, decided to go and talk to Remus instead. At least he'd be easy to find; tonight was the second night of the full moon and if Remus wasn't in the hospital wing, James was fairly sure he'd have to be committed to St Mungo's. Desperate, James made his way to the hospital wing.  
  
"Oy! Prongs!" a familiar voice called as James approached Remus' bed. Hardly believing his good fortune, James made his way round the curtain to face Sirius and Remus.  
  
"Something the matter?" Sirius asked, lounging in a chair next to Remus' bed.  
  
James glanced at the curtain, then at Sirius before soeaking, and Sirius nodded. He'd put a soundproofing spell on the curtain to ensure that Madam Pomfrey couldn't join the conversation. Satisfied, James took a deep breath and told his fellow Marauders everything that had happened since he'd left them that morning.  
  
"Why would Lily react like that?" Remus frowned, puzzled.  
  
"More importantly, why would Dumbledore let Prongs get away with dueling Snape?" Sirius pointed out. "Slimy as the little git is, that doesn't exactly sound like Dumbledore." He and James shared a quick, triumphant grin. There was nothing more satisfying than getting away with troublemaking.  
  
"Well, I can't just sit here," James said restlessly, getting to his feet. "I've got to find Lily and get her to tell me what all this is about. Where's the map?"  
  
"Peter has it," Sirius replied.  
  
"What?!" James overreacted. "Well, where's Peter then?"  
  
"Dunno," Sirius answered. "He didn't say. I think he's finally found himself a girl."  
  
"Calm down, James," Remus put in tiredly, not at his peacekeeping best during the full moon.  
  
"He didn't give you any idea?" James pressed.  
  
"Gee, Prongs," Sirius quipped sarcastically, "let me just consult the crystal ball that I always keep in my arse for occasions such as this. How the bloody hell would I know where Peter is if he didn't tell me? That's why we made the bloody map!"  
  
Before the confrontation could get ugly, James and Sirius were forced to swallow their rejoinders when Kathleen emerged from the other side of the curtain.  
  
"I'm not interrupting, am I?" Kathleen asked as she flopped down next to Remus on the bed.  
  
"No, not at all," Remus answered hastily as he put an arm round her.  
  
"You haven't seen Lily about lately, have you?" James asked anxiously. Kathleen shook her head.  
  
"Why? Is something wrong?" she asked, noticing the Marauders' grim expressions.  
  
"Maybe," Remus replied. He, James, and Sirius exchanged glances. Kathleen knew an astonishing amount of Hogwarts gossip; it was very possible that she could be helpful. Quickly the Marauders filled Kathleen in on last night's and today's events, but before Kathleen could say anything, Madam Pomfrey threw open the curtain.  
  
"All of you out! Mr. Lupin needs to rest now," the nurse ordered, her expression telling them all that she wouldn't stand for any nonsense. Noticing Remus and Kathleen reclining together on the bed, she shot the pair a scathing look  
  
"I wouldn't worry too much," Kathleen said kindly to the Marauders as she stood up. "Not everything's the way it seems," she added cryptically over her shoulder as she made her way out of the hospital wing. Puzzled, James and Sirius stood and followed her, having their own full moon preparations to make.  
  
"Why do I have the feeling that everyone knows something I don't?" James asked Sirius miserably.  
  
"Because they do, mate," Sirius stated cheerfully, putting a comforting arm round his friend's shoulders.  
  
* * *  
  
Shrouded in a voluminous black hooded cloak, Snape crept out of the castle round eleven-thirty to meet his fate. He crossed the grounds silently and swiftly, making his way to the perimeter where he could safely Apparate to the Dark Lord's side.  
  
After speaking to Dumbledore, Snape had spent the rest of the day locked in a study room in the Slytherin dungeons, raging against fate. He alternately wanted to kill Dumbledore and confide in him, wavered between believing and trusting Lily Evans and wanting to carry out his threat of last night.  
  
He'd received a message from Evans that afternoon, brought by school owl. In her message, the Mudblood had said that she hadn't betrayed him and was thinking about him and if he returned to Hogwarts would he send her an owl so she would know he was all right. Snape hadn't known whether to be repelled or touched by her concern.  
  
Safely off the grounds, Snape quickly withdrew his wand and Apparated to the prearranged location. The Dark Lord conducted his business from various properties that he owned as well as some owned by his supporters to prevent any one location from being conspicuous. Tonight Snape had been summoned to one of the Dark Lord's holdings that he knew from experience housed more intimate gatherings. A good atmosphere for an interrogation and execution.  
  
Appearing with a pop in the foyer, Snape pulled back the hood of his cloak and glanced warily round him. Flickering candlelight cast eerie long shadows on the floor and left the corners in complete darkness. Snape gripped his wand convulsively; anything or anyone might be concealed in those corners. He fought to maintain a grip on his composure.  
  
Footsteps echoed in the corridor, coming steadily closer to Snape. Drawing a steadying breath, Snape made certain that his wand was ready and his face was impassive in the precious seconds before the wizard making the footsteps was revealed to him.  
  
A lone wizard entered the foyer, his pale hair gleaming in the candlelight. It took a moment before Snape recognized the figure as Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"You are Severus Snape?" Malfoy queried. At Snape's affirmative nod, Malfoy's gaze sharpened and intensified on him, openly curious now. Shifting slightly, uncomfortable under the scrutiny, Snape wondered what exactly Malfoy had heard of him.  
  
"The Dark Lord is in the library," Malfoy relayed his message, still studying Snape closely. "He wishes to see you directly." With that, Malfoy turned from Snape, his long, elegant cape whirling behind him, and Disapparated.  
  
With nothing for it but to go and face Lord Voldemort, Snape made his way to the library, pausing just outside the slightly open door.  
  
"Severus," the familiar high, cold voice said from inside the room, "do come in."  
  
* * *  
  
Lily shifted restlessly in her chair as she waited for Hagrid to play his hand. She, Hagrid, and Dumbledore had been playing Exploding Snap in Hagrid's cottage for the past two hours now, and Lily's head was most definitely not in the game. Nor, she suspected, were Dumbledore's or Hagrid's, but they had nothing to do but wait, and at least the card game kept their hands and minds somewhat occupied.  
  
"Yer turn, Professor," Hagrid said at last, playing his card. But before Dumbledore could make his move, Artemis swooped in and dropped a letter in her mistress' lap. Abandoning all pretense of playing cards, Lily threw down her hand, which caused the whole deck to go up in flames, and tore open her letter, fanning smoke impatiently away from her eyes. Quickly scanning the brief message, Lily wordlessly handed the parchment to Dumbledore and smiled at Hagrid.  
  
"All is well," the message had read, and had been signed "S.S" It gave them virtually no information, but then Lily hadn't even expected to receive the message, and she was so relieved that she couldn't help smiling, her first smile in two days.  
  
"All's well that ends well, it seems," Dumbldore said, his eyes twinkling merrily. "Thank you for your hospitality, Hagrid, but I think it is time that Lily and I returned to the castle." After they had said their farewells to Hagrid and Lily had apologized profusely for the scorch marks that now covered his kitchen table, Lily and Dumbledore made their way across the silent grounds into the equally silent castle.  
  
"I suppose we'll never know what made Voldemort change his mind about killing Snape," Lily said thoughtfully as she and Dumbledore prepared to part ways at the top of the staircase.  
  
"Never say never, Lily," Dumbledore replied, smiling quizzically. "Mr. Snape seems to have certain qualms about Voldemort's cause, and perhaps one day he'll change his mind about where exactly his loyalties lie."  
  
* * *  
  
In the Slytherin dormitories, Severus Snape crept into his dormitory and slipped noiselessly into his bed. Too tense to sleep as of yet, Snape stared at the ceiling and went over the unexpected events of the past few hours.  
  
Snape had taken his courage in hand when he entered the Dark Lord's library, prepared to die with dignity. Though his lord had not appeared to be overly malevolent toward him, Snape had been on his guard nonetheless, even when Voldemort had invited him to sit down and began to speak to him about an "extremely delicate matter."  
  
It was only after Voldemort had finished speaking that it had hit Snape: he hadn't been summoned here to die. He had been summoned because Voldemort wanted his help.  
  
"It's a matter of great discretion, Severus," Voldemort had said in his chilling voice. "And a matter I feel you are well suited to handle." Voldemort had then explained to Snape about Lestrange's foiled attack on the Wizengamot, telling him how the approaching Death Eaters had just managed to avoid an ambush because they had been warned off by one of the Dark Lord's sources inside the Ministry, who had told them that the Wizengamot had been alerted and the Aurors had been summoned.  
  
"There are only a handful of people who knew about that attack," Voldemort had continued, his fury evident, "and one of them warned that old fool Dumbldore in time for him to slink away. There is a spy in our ranks, Severus, and I want you to find him. Many of the Death Eaters who were involved are at Hogwarts; it is likely that one of them is the culprit. I want you to find out who the spy is by any means necessary, and when you do, I want you to bring them to me."  
  
Voldemort had given Snape further, detailed instructions, but Snape, relief coursing through his veins had heard very little of it. The time between the moment when he had known that he wasn't going to die and now, lying in his bed in the Slytherin dormitories, seemed surreal to Snape. He'd Apparated back to the outskirts of the school, crossed the grounds, detoured, against his better judgement, to the Owlery to send a message to Evans, then crept back into the dungeons.  
  
Recalling his message to Evans, Snape frowned. He'd been given a second chance and had immediately risked it by communicating with the Mudblood; not a prudent move for someone Voldemort would be communicating closely with over the next few weeks. Still, he supposed he could chalk it up to a sort of celebration of survival; the Mudblood was the only one who knew about tonight's summons, and Snape had been unable to resist the temptation to share the news with somebody. He'd never have to have anything to do with her again.  
  
In fact, Snape vowed to himself, he was going to dedicate himself more firmly to the Dark Lord's cause. Everything he'd done, all of the mistakes he's made recently, were in the past; he had a clean slate now and knew better than to make those same errors in judgement again. True, he now was in the difficult position of having to locate a spy who had in fact been himself, but better that he was conducting this investigation than someone else. He was sure that he could find an adequate solution to this dilemma once he gave it due consideration.  
  
For the first time in nearly two weeks, Snape felt himself drift off into a natural, relaxed sleep. He had survived what had seemed to be certain death and Snape now had his life, and his loyalties, firmly back on track. Snape had been offered a second chance and he did not intend to squander it.  
  
* * *  
  
James stared into the common room fire, too tense to be at all drowsy. It was now past two o' clock in the morning, Lily still had not made an appearance in Gryffindor Tower, and James had probably never felt worse in his life.  
  
Once Peter had finally reappeared shortly before the full moon, James had practically pounced on him in his eagerness to get the Marauder's Map. The map had revealed that Lily and Hagrid were in his cottage, and when James had checked the map later, it revealed that Dumbledore was with them. Relatively assured that Lily was safe from Snape, James had been able to turn his attention to his guilt over upsetting Lily and his confusion about the entire situation. Nothing seemed to make any sense, nor would any of the people involved tell James what was going on. There were secrets everywhere, including James' own, that were keeping him and Lily apart and James was finding that he was thoroughly tired of them.  
  
So James had told Sirius and Peter his plan: he would leave their full moon adventure early, wait for Lily in the common room, and not let her leave until she told him what in the bloody hell was going on. Then James would apologize for whatever it was that he'd done to upset her so much and explain to Lily how exactly he'd overheard her conversation with Snape.  
  
Peter and Sirius had been more supportive of his plan than James had thought they would be. In fact, neither of them had seemed excessively surprised or disturbed over the fact that James was about to reveal their deep, dark, illegal secret to his girlfriend. Sirius had shrugged philosophically and said he'd known it was only a matter of time, and Peter had pointed out that Lily seemed to be quite good at keeping a secret, so why should they have a problem trusting her? Relieved to have his mates' support, James had left them in Hogsmeade with Moony and had hurried as fast as he could back to the common room and his beautiful reunion with his girlfriend.  
  
That had been close to five hours ago, and James, though he hated to admit it to himself, was beginning to lose hope. His obsessive checks of the Marauder's Map revealed that Lily was still in Hagrid's hut with Dumbledore and Hagrid; was she taking up residence there, for the love of Merlin?  
  
James, now a bit caught up in masochistic fantasies of Lily leaving Hogwarts forever and him never seeing her again, that he didn't hear the portrait hole swing open. Lily was halfway to the girls' staircase before he realized it was her.  
  
"Lily?" Turning at the sound of her name, Lily saw her exhausted, worried, puzzled-looking boyfriend slumped in a chair and felt the tears well up in her eyes. Suddenly, it didn't really matter to Lily exactly how he'd overheard her talking to Snape or that he'd acted like an arrogant, overprotective berk, she didn't want to be mad at James or keep any secrets from him.  
  
"Lily?" James repeated, unsure what to do now. Lily hadn't moved; did this mean she was mad at him or that Snape had blinded or deafened her or maybe stolen her brain for some potion he was brewing?  
  
Then suddenly Lily was walking toward him, and she was close enough now for James to see the tears in her eyes, which twisted the knife that he already felt was in his gut, and to see that she didn't look angry or hurt or like she'd been possessed by the devil, a.k.a. Severus Snape. Lily just looked like she'd had a very long day.  
  
Wordlessly James got to his feet and held out his arms and Lily walked into them, squeezed him tight, and whispered: "I have something I want to tell you."  
  
* * *  
  
Lily sighed wearily as she finished telling James everything, from Snape's unexpected visit during her patrol to her adventure at the Ministry to Snape's summons to the message she'd received from him only minutes ago.  
  
"Wow," James said finally, unable to think of anything else to say.  
  
"That does seem to sum it up," Lily replied wryly, leaning back and closing her eyes. But the peace lasted only another thirty or so seconds until James had recovered from his shock enough to bombard Lily with dozens of questions.  
  
Finally all of James' questions had been answered, and Lily was drowsily contemplating exactly how bad it would be for them if they were caught sleeping in the common room again when James broke the silence.  
  
"Lily? There's something I want to show you."  
  
Lily glanced up, about to ask James if it could wait till morning, when she saw the expression on his face and suddenly, Lily didn't feel quite as sleepy. "All right," she agreed hesitantly, and allowed James to take her hand.  
  
James led Lily outside to the deserted grounds and finally stopped in front of the Whomping Willow.  
  
"This is where Remus goes to transform every month," James explained a bit nervously. "You touch that little knot there," James pointed, "and it freezes the tree. The tunnel underneath leads all the way to the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade. Remus has gone there every full moon since his first year, and since fifth year, Sirius, Peter, and I have gone with him." James glanced at Lily, who appeared confused.  
  
"Peter pushes the knot in the tree," James continued, a bit nervous now, "and Sirius and I, we keep Moony in line. We call him Moony because that's when he transforms, during the full moon. And we call Peter Wormtail because he's a rat, Sirius is Padfoot, he's a big black dog, and I – I'm Prongs because I'm a stag. Sirius, Peter, and I – we're Animagi, Lily." With that, James closed his eyes and a moment later a stag, silvery in the moonlight, stood where James had been.  
  
Lily sat speechless with amazement as James transformed back and explained everything to her, how they had done it, what they did in their animal forms, and how they had overheard her conversation with Snape last night. By the time James had finished his explanation, Lily had questions, and the two of them sat on the grass talking until the moon had waned and it began to grow light outside.  
  
Sirius and Peter emerged from the Whomping Willow and transformed for Lily when she asked them to, then tactfully made their way back to the castle after reminding them that Madam Pomfrey would be along to collect Remus soon.  
  
"So is that your deepest, darkest secret?" Lily asked, only half teasing, as she and James finally made their way back to the castle.  
  
James frowned in concentration for so long that Lily, beginning to be alarmed, elbowed him firmly in the ribs. "Yes, it is," James said hastily, rubbing his sore ribcage. "You're not upset, are you?" James held his breath.  
  
"I'm more amazed than anything," Lily replied truthfully. "I mean, sure, you're breaking loads of school rules, not to mention major wizarding laws, but it really is pretty amazing that three fifteen-year-old kids managed to pull off one of the most difficult existing pieces of magic." Lily broke off, considering what she had just said. "Clearly I've been spending too much time with you," she grimaced.  
  
James grinned the cocky, superior grin that still infuriated her and held out his hand. "I really am pretty amazing when I consider it," he smirked, but it seemed somehow less obnoxious than it used to. Nevertheless, Lily rolled her eyes and debated for a moment as to whether or not she should slap him.  
  
"Shut it, Potter, the giant squid is still available." Lily warned him, unable to stop smiling at him. Lily took James' hand and the two of them walked back to Hogwarts to get ready for their first class, neither of them minding the lack of sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Finally, the next chapter is done! This one took me a long time to do; I had trouble deciding how I wanted to do certain scenes, which is part of the reason it took me so long to update. Thank you everyone for your patience, not to mention all of your reviews, and I think it's safe to say that in a couple more weeks I'll have a bit more time for writing. As always, I hope you enjoy. 


	39. Temporary Asylum

Chapter 38 Temporary Asylum  
  
The next few weeks following Snape's near-execution and Lily and James' revelation of their deepest secrets passed uneventfully for the Gryffindors, the next weeks filled with nothing more dramatic than homework, NEWT practice tests, and, of course, the occasional Marauder prank, which saved life from becoming unspeakably dull.  
  
The Easter holidays were fast approaching, which was causing mixed feelings among the Gryffindor seventh years. Lily for one was somewhat less than enthusiastic; Mrs. Evans had written to Lily to inform her that Petunia would be staying with them for a few days after Easter while Vernon was away on a business trip; Petunia's hatred of Lily was eclipsed only by her fear of staying alone, it seemed.  
  
The Marauders, on the other hand, could barely contain their excitement at the prospect of the coming holidays. In their second year, James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus had made a pact to take their Apparition tests together, and, finally, they were all seventeen and eligible for the test. Remus and Peter were both enthusiastic at the prospect of being able to Apparate from one place to another without having to bother with Floo powder, Portkeys, or other less convenient forms of transportation. Sirius was positively gleeful considering all of the fresh trouble the Marauders could get themselves into once they could Apparate and was in fact already planning it, and James, when he wasn't helping Sirius plan various forms of mayhem, was blissfully contemplating the surprised, admiring look on Lily's face when he Apparated to her house after passing his test with flying colors.  
  
Having agreed not to tell anyone that they were taking their Apparition tests, the Marauders prepared for it in secret for a few hours every night, spending most of their time helping Peter, who struggled with it as he seemed to with almost everything.  
  
Unbeknownst to the Marauders, Alice, Dorcas, and Kathleen were all preparing for the Apparition test as well. Kathleen had made the appointments for them after Morwenna had taken it during the last Hogsmeade weekend. Much less arrogant than the Marauders, who naturally assumed that there was no doubt that they would all pass, the girls all agreed not to tell anyone in case, as Alice reasonably pointed out, they failed it. Then they wouldn't have to explain to anyone why they didn't have their Apparition licenses. Lily had decided to wait to take hers because it would cause too many complications with Petunia in residence.  
  
In spite of all of the time James was spending preparing for his Apparition test in secret, things were going extremely well between Lily and James. Sharing secrets inevitably brings people closer together, and Lily and James were no exception to this. They spent even more time together than they had before, which was amazing with their busy schedules, and each received a good amount of ribbing from their respective friends about their sickening state of happiness, which really was a bit rich coming from Frank, Alice, Remus, and Kathleen.  
  
Refusing to be parted from Lily for an entire week, James had invited her to tea with his parents on Tuesday and had promised to take Lily, who was eager to escape Petunia as much as possible, to Diagon Alley at least once later in the week. Sirius complained loudly and often that Lily was stealing his best mate and the one prank-playing companion who was his equal, this last statement causing much indignation on Peter and Remus' parts, but neither Lily nor James paid Sirius any attention.  
  
Sirius was still saying it on the Hogwarts Express a week later when James refused to smoke the Slytherin first years out of their compartment with Sirius in favor of staying with Lily in the Head compartment. Muttering under his breath about short leashes and lack of balls, Sirius nonetheless subsided into a corner of the Head compartment to play chess with Dorcas. James roundly ignored his best friend; he was too wrapped up in Lily to care overmuch, and Sirius was mostly joking anyway.  
  
At King's Cross Station, a still grumbling Sirius waited impatiently while James and Lily said goodbye to each other, a process that took at least fifteen minutes, most of it spent in a liplock, or so Sirius was convinced. Finally Lily set off to find her parents and James turned to Sirius so they could make their way through the crush to Mr. and Mrs. Potter.  
  
"Took you long enough," Sirius grumbled good-naturedly, flicking his wand over his trunk to make it light enough to carry without maiming himself.  
  
"This from the former reigning snogging champion of Hogwarts," James snorted, just the slightest bit tired of Sirius' running commentary on his love life.  
  
"At least I never made YOU watch," Sirius replied.  
  
"Nobody made you watch; 's'not my fault if Peter's rubbing off on you," James retorted.  
  
"Beg to differ with THAT; if I want to spend any time at all round you outside of getting ready for the Apparition test or Quidditch practice I'm forced to watch you and Lily because all the pair of you do is make cow eyes at each other and SNOG LEFT, RIGHT, AND CENTER!" Sirius snapped back.  
  
"Hi, Mum and Dad," James said sheepishly, his ears red. He and Sirius had reached Mr. and Mrs. Potter in time for them to hear that last statement, though even if he and Sirius had been standing on the other end of the platform during a thunderstorm Mr. and Mrs. Potter doubtless still would have heard. Sirius had not troubled himself with such details as using his indoor voice.  
  
To James' everlasting relief, neither of his parents commented on Sirius' observation, they both looked a bit startled but thankfully had the tact to greet James and Sirius normally and lead them out of the station to the waiting Ministry car.  
  
Happily unaware of her boyfriend's embarrassment, Lily was making her way through the station to the information desk where she'd met her parents at every holiday since she was eleven. Concentrating as she was on not getting walloped by passerby's' baggage, Lily didn't notice the voice calling her name until someone touched her arm. Startled, Lily spun to look into Dorcas' smiling face.  
  
"Dorcas! You startled me," Lily exclaimed, smiling nonetheless.  
  
"Sorry," Dorcas replied. "I tried to catch you before you left the platform, but you were – er – busy." Seeing Lily blush, Dorcas grinned but tactfully moved onto her point. "I – and Alice and Kathleen too – wanted to see if you wouldn't change your mind about the Apparition test on Monday. I know your sisters a complete nutter, but can't you manage something?"  
  
Lily hesitated; she DID want to take the test with her friends, but Petunia's nerves, not to mention their relationship, probably wouldn't withstand seeing Lily perform such an overtly magical act.  
  
"Go on then, Lily," Dorcas wheedled, seeing Lily's hesitation. "It'll be easier to take the test with your friends; strength in numbers and all that. Kathleen made you an appointment."  
  
"All right," Lily acquiesced, smiling. She really did want to Apparate, and maybe she could refrain from doing it in front of Petunia.  
  
"Great!" Dorcas grinned broadly. "See you Monday then."  
  
"See you," Lily echoed as Dorcas moved away in the crowd.  
  
Easter Sunday was torturous for Lily. She and her parents went to Petunia and Vernon's house in Surrey for the holiday, an arrangement no one was particularly pleased about. Needless to say, neither Vernon nor Petunia was happy to see Lily and both were unreasonably terrified that Lily would do something that might be construed as abnormal by their neighbors. Glancing up and down the row of identical houses on Privet Drive that seemed to house neighbors as dull and run of the mill as Petunia and Vernon aspired to be, Lily rolled her eyes in exasperation but decided against a retort. One really had to pick one's battles with the Dursleys.  
  
Finally, after hours of admiring Petunia's dull, prim house, listening to the Dursleys brag about everything under the sun, and an interminable dinner featuring a ham that very much resembled Vernon, the Evanses plus Petunia climbed into the car and made their way back to London. Finally Lily could start enjoying her holiday.  
  
The Marauders arrived at the Ministry of Magic in excessively high spirits on Monday to take their Apparition tests. Two hours later, Sirius, Remus, James, and Peter filed back into the waiting area, all of them grinning ear to ear and brandishing Apparition licenses. They had all passed, even Peter, who had lost his head a bit during the practical part of the exam and had come rather close to splinching himself. Peter took his mates' teasing jovially, too happy and relieved to have passed to care overmuch about the jokes at his expense.  
  
Preoccupied with Apparating to Lily's house and bringing her to celebrate with them, James thought he was hallucinating when he saw Lily sitting beside Alice and Dorcas in the waiting area.  
  
"Lily?" James asked dumbfoundedly. Lily glanced up and broke into a dazzling smile when she saw who had spoken to her.  
  
"James! What are you doing here?" Lily stood up to give her boyfriend a delighted hug which James returned slightly less enthusiastically; he was a bit disappointed to have lost the opportunity to surprise Lily and traumatize Petunia all in one go.  
  
"We just took our Apparition tests," James explained.  
  
"Us too," Alice put in. "We're just waiting for Kathleen to finish up," she added with a smile at Remus. Kathleen Apparated in with a pop just then, rendering questions as to whether or not she'd passed unnecessary, and greeted Remus with delight. As Frank and Morwenna were already waiting to celebrate or commiserate with the girls in the Leaky Cauldron, the Marauders, who had been planning to make their way to a pub eventually anyway, agreed to join them.  
  
The Gryffindors' celebration went on for hours through the afternoon and into the evening with loads of toasting, laughing, and unnecessary Apparating taking place. Everyone got at least a bit tipsy, if not downright pissed, and it was very nearly dark by the time they emerged.  
  
Peter, who had quite foolishly tried to go drink for drink with Sirius, was now weaving and wobbling all over the sidewalk, giggling constantly over a joke nobody else really understood.  
  
"He's completely sloshed," Remus noted with disapproval, watching as James hastily grabbed the tail of Peter's jacket to prevent him from performing a swan dive into the pavement.  
  
"And I s'pose you're perfectly sober after – what was it – SIX buttered rums?" Sirius drawled, probably the most presentable of the lot of them despite the amount of drinks he himself had put away.  
  
Remus flushed a bit darker but chose not to dignify Sirius' observation with a comment, wrapping his arm a bit more firmly round Kathleen and looking straight ahead in lieu of an answer. Kathleen, however, had found Sirius' remark quite amusing and was practically doubled over with laughter despite Remus' quelling stare.  
  
"I guess someone will have to take him home," Sirius remarked to James, having decided to go in search of friendlier company till Remus had recovered from his snit.  
  
"Home?!" Peter squeaked, looking horrified. "Can't do that. M'mum'll kill me, see if she don't!"  
  
"Oh right," James said thoughtfully, wincing. "Forgot about Mrs. Pettigrew." Everyone present who was acquainted with Peter's mum cringed at the thought of what she would do if she were to catch her son in his present state.  
  
Noticing his friends' reactions, Peter now seemed close to tears at the thought. "Wha' should I do?" he almost sobbed.  
  
"You can stay the night at my house," Remus offered a bit reluctantly. The look of relief on Peter's face was profound.  
  
"Don't wet yourself, Wormtail," Sirius interjected gruffly before Peter could embarrass himself further. "Remus and I'll take you to his place till you've sobered up." Remus shot Sirius a grateful look; he hadn't been looking forward to escorting a drunk and giddy Peter by himself.  
  
That settled, the other arrangements were quickly taken care of. The four Quidditch team members, James, Sirius, Frank, and Dorcas, seemed, rather suspiciously, to be the best at holding their drink, so the others who were not as able were assigned to them. Calling good-byes over their shoulders, the Gryffindors dispersed into the night.  
  
James and Lily, who could at worse be called tipsy, took a rather wobbly Morwenna to the house she shared with her grandmother near Diagon Alley before making their way to the Evans house. Lily, remembering the "Don't Ingurgitate and Apparate" posters in the Apparition office, was wary of trying to Apparate home while under the influence, but James scoffed at the idea and, not relishing the thought of trying to buy Floo powder, or, worse, using Muggle transportation, at this time of day, did his best to convince Lily to try it.  
  
Lily and James continued to argue the point as they started up Diagon Alley, both firmly convinced they were in the right. The usually bustling street was essentially deserted now; though Diagon Alley was one of the safer places in the wizarding world, no one wanted to tempt fate, or, more accurately, the Death Eaters by presenting an easy target.  
  
There seemed to be a sharp drop in temperature as Lily and James approached the turning to Knockturn Alley, and Lily shuddered, remembering her close call there with Severus Snape. But Lily kept shaking for some reason she couldn't understand, and suddenly she could see her breath in the mild spring night. Lily's mind no longer seemed to be under her control. Despite her efforts to shake them off, Lily suddenly was unable to stop herself from remembering every bad thing that had ever happened to her: Petunia recoiling from her and calling her a freak when Lily had gotten her Hogwarts letter, other children whispering about her in primary school when she'd accidentally done odd things, Slytherins calling her a Mudblood, Bellatrix's attack in the Potions corridor, the Marchbanks' ball, and Voldemort advancing on her and James................  
  
Nearly dumb with terror, Lily glanced round at James, who looked almost as bad as she felt. Wordlessly James reached out and took Lily's hand, and Lily returned the grip convulsively. Before she could prevent her teeth from knocking together long enough to ask what was happening, Lily realized that they were not alone.  
  
Three hooded figures were gliding toward Lily and James from Knockturn Alley, their breath rattling ominously in the silence. Lily couldn't make out their faces, and as they came closer, Lily realized that this was because they didn't seem to have faces, only hands, gray, scaly, scabbed, clammy hands. Lily's head screamed at her feet to move away, but nothing happened, the figures were coming still closer. They were in touching distance now, Lily thought, and as if in answer, one of the figures stretched its clawlike, glistening hand out toward Lily..............  
  
James watched in horror for a precious instant as the hand moved forward before he could collect himself enough to move back, jerking Lily along with him just before the fingertips could make contact with Lily's skin. Shivering with cold, terrible memories crowding his head, James managed to pull himself and Lily away from the dementors, moving as quickly as he could in his clumsy state.  
  
The cold lessened and the memories eased as James and Lily got further away from the dementors. Able to move more quickly now, they broke into a run, still hand in hand.  
  
Pausing to catch their breath, James wondered frantically for a moment what the easiest and quickest way back to Lily's house was before he remembered belatedly that they could Apparate now. Lily could hardly object now, James thought. Besides, any lingering effects that alcohol may have had had worn off in their encounter with the dementors.  
  
"Lily?" James asked hesitantly. She looked terribly pale and continued to shiver violently. "Do you think you can concentrate enough to Apparate to your house?" Peter's near-splinching remained fresh in James' mind.  
  
"Y-yes," Lily got out through her chattering teeth. Not wasting any more time in case they were being followed, Lily and James quickly pulled out their wands, and, bracing themselves, Disapparated from Diagon Alley.  
  
Petunia Evans Dursley was alone in her parents' house; Mr. and Mrs. Evans had gone out to dinner on the coast and had phoned a bit ago to say that a rainstorm had caused mudslides on the roads and that they would be spending the night at an inn. Not wanting to engage in needless conversation with her sister, Petunia had left a note for Lily about their parents' whereabouts propped on the table in the foyer. Lily could read it when she came home.  
  
If she ever came home, anyway. Mr. and Mrs. Evans had been rather surprised when Petunia had reported that Lily hadn't come home yet. Petunia was a bit suspicious herself. Lily had gone somewhere with that awful boy; no doubt he was responsible for Lily throwing away her last shreds of respectability.  
  
Petunia shuddered a bit; she truly did hate being alone at night. How irksome that she'd come to stay with her parents to avoid it and here she was alone anyway. Irritated at her family's lack of consideration for her sensibilities, Petunia decided to take a hot bath to ease her vexation.  
  
She was just fetching a towel from the linen closet in the upstairs hallway when she heard a loud popping noise in the foyer downstairs. Nervous, Petunia moved as quietly as she could to the banister to find the source of the noise. To her shock, Petunia saw her sister's awful boyfriend standing in the foyer. Before she could react properly to this, there was another loud pop and Lily appeared in the foyer next to him.  
  
Furious and terrified at these overt displays of unnatural activity, Petunia opened her mouth firmly to scream, but the sound caught in her throat when she had a proper look at Lily.  
  
Petunia's younger sister was white as a sheet and shaking with cold, her obscenely red hair wild round her shoulders. The awful boy looked nearly as bad as Lily did, studying Lily with a worried expression.  
  
Curious now and concerned in spite of herself, Petunia stepped back a bit into the shadows to watch and listen undetected.  
  
"Are you all right, Lily?" James asked intently, trying to rub some warmth into Lily's arms.  
  
"Yeah," Lily managed to say from between blue lips. "Wh – what were those things?"  
  
"Dementors," James replied, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "They guard Azkaban, the wizard prison. Don't know what they were doing in Knockturn Alley, though."  
  
"Remind me never to go to prison then," Lily made an attempt at humor. Petunia felt a chill run up and down her spine, not liking to think about the kind of creature that could cause her fearless sister to shake like a leaf.  
  
"Is anyone here?" James asked, looking about him but not spotting Petunia at the banister. Noticing the paper on the table, Lily quickly read through Petunia's note.  
  
"My parents will be gone overnight," Lily told James, "and I don't know where Petunia is." She shrugged, still hugging herself for warmth.  
  
"I don't want to leave you alone right now," James said, frowning. "Why don't you come home with me?"  
  
"Well.........For a bit, anyway," Lily consented, not any more eager to be left alone than James was to leave her. With that, Lily and James raised their wands again and disappeared, leaving more loud pops in their wake.  
  
Petunia sank down on the top step, shaken by the scene she had just witnessed. For the first time, Petunia found herself wondering about the world to which her sister belonged, about the things Lily could do and the dangers she faced. What would Lily tell her about being a witch if Petunia asked her about it and if she, Petunia, were a witch, how different would her life be?  
  
Shaking her shameful fancies firmly out of her head, Petunia stood up resolutely and went back to her comfortingly, relentlessly normal life, deliberately turning her back on the things her sister could have and she could not.  
  
Lily appeared with a pop in the foyer of the most amazing house she'd ever seen in her life. The Potters' house was huge, if the marble foyer was anything to go by, with candle sconces and free floating candles everywhere. Family portraits lined the sweeping staircase, all of them smiling a greeting to their descendant and his companion. Leading Lily nonchalantly through the splendor, James opened the doors to the library, the wall sconces and fireplace lighting themselves immediately when they stepped into the room. "Be right back," James called over his shoulder. His footsteps echoed through the hall and then his voice drifted back to the library as well; he was holding a conversation with someone who had a very high, squeaky voice.  
  
Lily, still too cold and unnerved to be curious, sank onto a sofa by the fireplace. But even though the room was warm and she was a close to the flames as she could be without getting in them, Lily couldn't seem to get warm.  
  
James reentered the room minutes later carrying a tray. Seeing the contents of the tray, Lily raised a questioning brow at James. Hot chocolate and chocolate bars hardly seemed well balanced.  
  
"Chocolate helps after you've been round dementors," James explained, handing Lily an enormous chocolate bar. Still skeptical, Lily nonetheless took a bite and was surprised to feel warmth beginning to spread through her chilled body.  
  
There was silence for a while as Lily and James consumed two chocolate bars apiece, plus their hot chocolate.  
  
"Where are Sirius and your parents?" Lily finally asked, refusing James' offer of a third chocolate bar.  
  
"Dunno," James replied round a mouthful of his fourth. "Sirius must still be helping Remus with Peter, and my parents are at the Ministry, most likely."  
  
"Now?" Lily was surprised.  
  
James shrugged. "Voldemort and his Death Eaters are inconsiderate that way," he replied cynically.  
  
"Oh," Lily was momentarily at a loss. "Who were you talking to, then?"  
  
"Wendell, our house elf," James explained. "He told me about the chocolate."  
  
Feeling much better now, Lily glanced round her at the hundreds of books and knick-knacks that filled the library. Noticing her interest, James pulled Lily to her feet to show her the rest of the house.  
  
Hand in hand, James took Lily to the kitchens, where Wendell greeted them enthusiastically, pointed out the Quidditch pitch in the gardens, though it was a bit too dark to see it properly, and then showed her yet more family portraits in the hall upstairs, Lily marveling at the resemblance between the Potter men. It was immediately clear that James' family was both very old and very well off; priceless family heirlooms littered the house.  
  
Managing to forget somewhat, Lily and James began to have fun, exploring rooms and cupboards and corners. James began, as he always did in Lily's presence, to go to ridiculous lengths to make her laugh and Lily enjoyed shooting him down when his head inflated beyond what she considered reasonable proportions.  
  
"What's down here?" Lily asked as they came to another corridor.  
  
"My room and Sirius' room, a couple of guest rooms," James opened the first door on their right. "This is my room," he said by way of explanation before throwing open the door with a dramatic flourish.  
  
If Lily had ever stopped to imagine what James' bedroom must look like, she would have imagined the room in front of her exactly. The room reflected James' personality perfectly. A Gryffindor banner hung over the bed, and the walls were cluttered with Quidditch posters and paraphernalia. A heap of clothes sat in one corner, and the bookshelf was jammed with Hogwarts texts, Quidditch guides, and comic books, as well as a number of Transfiguration books that Lily imagined must have come in handy when the Marauders were learning to become Animagi.  
  
Moving over to study the books more closely, a flash of red caught the corner of Lily's eye. Turning, Lily saw that the red that had caught her eye was in fact her own hair. Or her hair in a wizard photograph, anyway. Next to the bed sat a picture of herself and James, the couple in the picture laughing and waving at them, James' arms round Lily.  
  
"Where did this come from?" Lily asked, picking the picture up and smiling back at it.  
  
"Morwenna took it of us in Hogsmeade one time and I asked her for it," James said simply, flushing a bit to have been caught with the photo.  
  
"I'd really like a copy of it," Lily's smile was blinding, or it was to James, at any rate. "We look so happy."  
  
Relieved that Lily didn't intend to tease him about the picture, James sat on the bed and pulled Lily down to sit on his lap, wrapping his arms round her like the James and Lily in the picture. "We do look happy," James agreed. "That's why I like that picture so much; no matter what else is going on, I can look at that picture and be happy."  
  
Touched, Lily leaned in to kiss James, not stopping even when they fell back onto the bed together. Awareness invaded the corner of Lily's mind; things could go very far very quickly in this situation. Still, Lily didn't move away from James or stop kissing him, a million thought running through her mind, thoughts about how beautiful James was and how wonderful it felt to be close to him warring with more practical concerns, like the consequences of having sex, what his parents would say if they found them together, and what her parents would say when she didn't come home tonight.  
  
But when James brushed a lock of her hair away from her face, his touch butterfly light on her skin and so gentle and so perfect, Lily knew she was lost. She loved James completely and without doubt; he was far more important to her than any of the consequences or inconveniences or embarrassments. And suddenly Lily realized that she had made a decision, a decision she had always expected to be a frightening one, but it wasn't really; nothing that felt this completely and utterly right could really be scary. Lily felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her; she knew with absolute, unquestionable conviction that she was ready to spend tonight with James  
  
James kissed Lily back with everything he had, so in love with her he couldn't think of anything else and just as desperate as Lily was to be as close as possible. When Lily sat up, James gulped in a steadying breath of air, fighting for control over his body and emotions.  
  
"We don't have to," he said quietly before Lily could say anything.  
  
"I know we don't have to," Lily replied. She looked up at him, her eyes unclouded and certain. "I want to," she said simply, a shy smile creeping across her face.  
  
James expelled a breath he hadn't been aware of holding. "I want to, too," he answered Lily exuberantly, an animated grin spreading across his face, the flip flops in his stomach more like somersaults. "In fact, I don't think I've ever wanted anything more in my entire life."  
  
Lily and James both laughed, giddy with emotions and anticipation, relieved to break the tension.  
  
"Me neither," Lily finally said, a million emotions swirling round in her ribcage, the certainty that she was ready a solid, comforting weight in her gut.  
  
Without waiting for further invitation, Lily began to unbutton James' shirt, both of them grinning widely at each other. Then Lily lifted her arms and James pulled her top over her head, sending it to join his shirt on the floor. Slowly, Lily and James finished undressing each other before moving together again, the outside world, complete with its impending disasters, dangers, and responsibilities temporarily forgotten.  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Finally, I managed to get a new chapter done! I really apologize for the wait; thank you everyone for being so patient with me. As always, thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing, and a very special thanks to witchheart, Albareth Dragon, Palindrome Mistress, and Cecilia Orechio for their reviews. I'm working on the next chapter, but I'm not sure when it'll be up. Hope you enjoy! 


	40. Felicity, Funnels, and Furtiveness

Chapter 39 Felicity, Funnels, and Furtiveness  
  
James woke up with a smile at an unnaturally early hour the next morning and glanced over at Lily, who appeared to still be asleep. Propping himself on his elbow, James took the opportunity to look at Lily uninterrupted.  
  
While he'd been of the opinion since the age of eleven that Lily was the most beautiful woman in the world, James couldn't ever remember seeing her look better than she did at that moment, with her hair tangled on his pillow and a slight smile on her face as she slept. As though she was aware of his scrutiny, Lily's eyelids fluttered and then opened. Seeing James grinning down at her, she smiled sleepily back at him, and, with blatant disregard for such practical considerations as morning breath, James leaned down and kissed Lily, who seemed to have no objections to being kissed.  
  
Finally taking notice of the time, Lily began collecting her clothes from the rumpled heap on the floor, grimacing at their condition, and put on as many articles of clothing as she could find before venturing further afield in search of the rest of her apparel, studiously avoiding James' knowing grin all the while.  
  
"I should go," Lily said unnecessarily, sincerely hoping that Petunia wouldn't notice her return. James slipped into some clothes as well, conscious now of the fact that his parents, Wendell, or Sirius could catch them at any moment.  
  
"Yeah," James agreed reluctantly, a mental image of Sirius Apparating into the room with a camera bringing him back to reality. "Wish you could stay, though," he added wistfully and wrapped his arms round Lily, unwilling to let her go.  
  
"Me too," Lily replied. She looked as though she was glowing to James, who was fairly certain that his own grin must be rather fatuous at the moment.  
  
"At least you're coming back for tea," James pointed out, trying to be optimistic. "Maybe I can lock Mum and Dad and Sirius in a cupboard."  
  
"Only if you steal their wands and seal the door," Lily played along. James, admiring Lily's natural talent for troublemaking, leaned in to kiss Lily again, convinced he had found the perfect woman. As a result, it was another ten minutes before a disheveled and reluctant Lily Evans finally Disapparated from James Potter's bedroom.

James, too happy to contemplate more sleep and already counting the hours till he would see Lily again, tiptoed down to the kitchen in search of food and was surprised to find Sirius already there, nursing a cup of coffee.  
  
"Morning," James greeted Sirius cautiously, not sure how much he knew.  
  
"Morning," Sirius replied, stifling a yawn. He didn't even look up from his coffee. Somewhat reassured but still uncertain, James moved away in search of food, rummaging through the cabinets himself rather than wake Wendell up.  
  
Sirius finally looked up as James moved toward him, carrying breakfast for them both. Sirius' eyes first narrowed on his best friend, then widened in shock as James set the food on the table.  
  
"D'you want toast?" James asked.  
  
"You slept with Lily!" Sirius blurted. James visibly blanched.  
  
"How do you know?" he demanded, not bothering to deny it.  
  
"It's the only thing I can think of that would make you look that bloody happy," Sirius replied, studying his friend. "Unless you've been doing Cheering Charms near a mirror again." James breathed a profound sigh of relief.  
  
"I'm not so desperate for a shag that I have to watch other people's," Sirius scowled, correctly interpreting James' sigh. "Who do you think I am, Peter?"  
  
"Oh, come off it," James scoffed. "If you'd known what was going on, don't tell me you wouldn't have Apparated in with a camera for future blackmail material."  
  
Sirius was silent at that and James smirked, enjoying his victory. "She's coming to tea today," James said after a few minutes, considering Sirius put in his place.  
  
"Oh, really?" Sirius quirked a brow suggestively.  
  
"Mum and Dad invited her," James snapped, touchy when it came to Lily.  
  
"This'll be right cozy," Sirius smirked in his turn. Seeing James' pained expression, however, he relented a bit. "All kidding aside, I'm happy that things are working out for you, Prongs," Sirius said in complete sincerity.  
  
"Thanks," James replied, relieved, and Sirius couldn't help but grin back.  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Potter came in not long after, weary from their night at the Ministry and surprised to see James and Sirius up so early. After the boys had shown off their new Apparition skills and had been duly applauded, Mr. and Mrs. Potter went off to bed, promising to be up in time for luncheon. James and Sirius, unused to being up so early, went out to play Quidditch and talk without the fear of being overheard.  
  
On the pitch, Sirius told James about his and Remus' adventures with Peter, who had only been sober enough to go home about five hours ago, albeit he'd gone home with a splitting headache and an empty stomach after sicking up so many times. Remus and Sirius had been completely exhausted by this point and had slept like the dead for a few hours before Sirius had made his way back to the Potters.'  
  
The morning passed quickly with James asking Sirius questions about his adventure and Sirius teasingly asking James for details about his own adventures. Round one-thirty, James and Sirius returned to the house for lunch, James still helpless to stop himself from grinning widely.  
  
After lunch, Sirius headed for the stairs to pass the time until tea reading Quidditch magazines and James was just following him when his father's voice, asking if he could have a word, stopped him on the stairs.  
  
Resigned, James followed his father into the library. Mr. Potter occasionally liked to give his son lectures, so James was quite familiar with the procedure. Whether they were about James' prank-playing or latest detention, choosing a career, or what to get his mother for her birthday, James' father's lectures always offered the same advice. "Look at it the way you would a funnel," Mr. Potter would urge. "All of the possibilities go into the top and come out as one concentrated solution." Mr. Potter was exceedingly proud of his funnel analogy and had accompanied it with illustrations until James begged him to stop.  
  
Wondering which of life's conundrums they were going to funnel today, James shut the library door with a resigned sigh. "What did I do now?" James asked, flashing his most charming smile at his father.  
  
To his surprise, Mr. Potter cleared his throat and fidgeted several times before opening his mouth. "James," Mr. Potter began, "I've been wanting to talk to you about Lily."  
  
"Lily?" James crinkled his brow. "How is Lily like a funnel?" Mr. Potter glared, not appreciating James' remark. Like most fathers, Mr. Potter cherished the idea that his son held a deep respect for his profound wisdom.  
  
"She isn't," Mr. Potter said crisply, letting James know that he was displeased. "What I'm trying to get at here – er – well............. How long have you been seeing Lily now?"  
  
"Seven months," James replied hesitantly, not liking where this was going and thoroughly disconcerted by the lack of funnel analogy.  
  
"That's quite a long time, isn't it?" Mr. Potter fidgeted some more. "And you care for Lily very much, don't you?" Mr. Potter continued abruptly after several moments of silence.  
  
"I love her," James answered without hesitation, trying not to grin like a simpleton.  
  
"That's wonderful, James," Mr. Potter smiled warmly at his son. James smiled back encouragingly, hoping his father would get to the point now, but another pause followed, longer than any of the previous ones.  
  
"Now I know," Mr. Potter began, his ears rather red, "that when you care for a young lady the way you do for Lily that there are certain – urges – "  
  
"Dad!" James exclaimed, cutting his father off. "I know where babies come from. We've talked about this. Remember? When I was eight? You explained to me that owls don't bring babies like the post."  
  
"I know that you know that," Mr. Potter snapped, annoyed and embarrassed. "That's not what I'm trying to say to you. Now, as I was saying before I was interrupted, I know that there are these – urges – but you have to remember that along with these – er – urges – comes quite a bit of responsibility............."An hour and a half later, James stumbled into his bedroom, shut the door, and leaned against it, flushing scarlet. Before he could recover enough to move away from the door, Sirius Apparated into the room with a pop.  
  
"What did your dad want you to funnel this time?" Sirius asked casually, flopping into an armchair. James fought for the power of speech.  
  
"He wanted to talk to me about Lily," James finally said in a hollow voice.  
  
"Lily?" Sirius raised one brow questioningly. "How is she like a funnel?"  
  
"She isn't," James explained, burying his face in his hands. "He wanted to talk about Lily and me." James shuddered.  
  
Sirius wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I don't need to know how THAT'S like a funnel."  
  
Sirius!" James snapped, fed up with his best friend's obtuseness. "There wasn't a funnel!"  
  
"But there's ALWAYS a funnel when your dad – "  
  
"THERE WAS NO BLOODY FUNNEL!" James was plainly at the end of his wits. "For the first time in my life I wished there was one! He just kept talking about Lily and me and love and responsibility and - urges."  
  
"Eurgh!" Sirius exclaimed, aghast now that he understood.  
  
"'Eurgh' doesn't even begin to cover it," James said earnestly.  
  
"And is your dad aware that you and Lily, er – urged – last night?" Sirius inquired, lips twitching.  
  
"No!" James exclaimed. "Or at least I don't think so," he amended sheepishly after a rather lengthy pause.  
  
Sirius snorted with laughter. "Bloody brilliant timing your dad's got!"  
  
"It's not funny!" James exploded, tried beyond his limits. "This COULD all be construed as your fault; thanks to you and your fat-headed remarks at the train station, I just spent the last hour and a half discussing my sex life WITH MY DAD!"  
  
This had no apparent chastising effect on Sirius, who was now doubled over with mirth. "Can't be quite so nauseating with Lily now, can you?" he finally managed, clutching a stitch in his side.  
  
James clenched his fists and watched Sirius laugh, seriously considering pummeling his best friend into the carpet. Finally deciding that beating Sirius to a pulp would be dignifying his ribbing with a response, James settled for an imitation of Lily's Prefect Glare of Death.  
  
By the time Sirius had recovered from his amusement at James' expense, it was nearly time for Lily to arrive for tea. Embarrassed, James waited for Lily outside; he had no intention of greeting Lily in front of his parents, especially now.  
  
After what seemed like forever to James, Lily finally appeared with a pop and glanced round her a bit apprehensively until she caught sight of James and gave him a dazzling smile. James, all thoughts of funnels and urges banished from his head temporarily, grinned back at Lily, breathless as usual at the sight of her, and moved forward to hug her.  
  
"Hi," Lily said, her voice muffled against James' chest.  
  
"Hi," James returned the greeting, burying his face in her hair. It seemed like an eternity had passed since that morning. Though slightly puzzled by James' greeting, Lily was nonetheless relieved that there was no awkwardness between them.  
  
Belatedly, James remembered that his parents were waiting and inclined to be suspicious of him and led Lily reluctantly into the house, where Mr. and Mrs. Potter greeted her warmly. Sirius entered the room a few minutes later and immediately hugged Lily, causing James an irrational little stab of jealousy. When Lily, after what seemed like forever to James, finally moved away from Sirius and came to sit next to him, James took her hand and shot his best mate a fulminating glare, knowing Sirius' way with women all too well. Sirius, however, merely smirked at James in return, giving him cause to regret his earlier decision not to pound Sirius into the carpet.  
  
Despite the efforts made to the contrary, it was a very uncomfortable tea for everyone present. James, remembering his conversation with his father, was a bit more subdued than usual, started every time Mr. Potter or Sirius opened their mouths and was careful to maintain a modest distance from Lily. Lily felt distinctly odd having tea with her boyfriend's parents on the morning after, so to speak, and blushed a lot more often than was logical to the casual observer. Mr. and Mrs. Potter were a bit embarrassed about the conversation Mr. Potter had had with James, and Sirius, instilled with the mental image of Mr. Potter discussing "urges," fidgeted a bit as well. All in all, everyone was relieved when Lily rose to leave at six o' clock.  
  
"Well, that was weird," James commented. He had escorted Lily outside to say goodbye to her without an audience.  
  
"It could have been worse," Lily replied, remembering their tea with her family. There were still jam stains on the ceiling from Vernon's rampage, and Lily to that day couldn't say the word "beard" without Petunia turning apoplectic.  
  
"Are you all right, though?" Lily changed the subject. "You were acting a bit – odd."  
  
"I'll explain later," James mumbled evasively, not wanting to wreck their goodbye with embarrassing, mood-ruining explanations. "What're you doing the rest of this week?" James tried a different tact.  
  
"Visiting with my parents and avoiding Petunia," Lily shrugged, aware that James wasn't telling her something but decided to let it go for now. "Why, will I see you?"  
  
James shrugged in his turn. "You might," he answered, eyes twinkling in a way Lily had very good reason to suspect."Might" ended up being every day; now that he could Apparate, James appeared in the Evans household at any and all times of the day, unwilling to spend any more time away from Lily than was absolutely necessary.  
  
James Apparated into Lily's room on Wednesday morning, scaring her half to death, to take her to Diagon Alley with him, where they spent what seemed like half the day to Lily in Quality Quidditch Supplies while James bought a new Quaffle. This accomplished, James and Lily spent the rest of the day snogging in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, which didn't seem nearly long enough to either of them.  
  
At Mr. and Mrs. Evans' invitation, James and Sirius came to lunch at the Evanses' on Thursday where they entertained the entire family (minus Petunia, whom Mrs. Evans had very prudently packed off to Marge Dursley's) with their stories of Hogwarts and wizarding life in general. Their grand finale, a spirited imitation of Mad-Eye Moody arguing with the Minister of Magic at one of the Potters' dinner parties, brought down the house; Lily burst into a fresh bout of giggling every time Sirius pounded on the table and roared "Constant vigilance!" in perfect imitation of Moody.  
  
On Friday James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Kathleen appeared at the Evanses to take Lily with them to a Quidditch match. The Marauders had been looking forward to this particular match for quite some time and were in even higher spirits than usual. Said high spirits lasted all throughout the extremely close and exciting game and soared even higher when Puddlemere United beat the Appleby Arrows after a very intense encounter between the two respective Seekers. They all went out after the match to celebrate, but Sirius and Remus, their recent adventure with Peter fresh in their minds, actively prevented everyone from drinking anything stronger than butterbeer.  
  
Lily took James exploring with her in Muggle London on Saturday, showing him Muggle shops and famous sites. She suggested going to the cinema, but James, skeptical about it despite Lily's explanation, failed to see the appeal. So they wandered round the streets near Lily's house instead, looking for a postman so that Lily could prove to James once and for all that they were in fact real and not a Muggle story. However, much to Lily's exasperation, they were unable to find one, which made James almost unbearably smug. They argued heatedly nearly the entire way back to the Evans household before Lily realized how ridiculous the whole thing was and began to giggle. James, thinking that Lily had finally realized the absurdity of this postman idea, joined in and they parted on very good terms, both cheerful for completely different reasons.Finally, it was time to return to Hogwarts, and the 7th year Gryffindors, as had become their habit, piled into the Head compartment on Sunday morning for the train ride back to school. Happy and relaxed after the holiday, the compartment was filled with noise as everyone settled himself or herself and gave accounts of their holidays to their friends.  
  
The Marauders were very regretful about having to give up Apparating till June, and then everyone became a bit subdued, remembering that this would be their last time returning to Hogwarts. Before the mood could become too depressed, however, Peter accidentally knocked over the cage of Alice's rather claustrophobic owl, Myron, and the bird flew round and round the compartment. James and Sirius very much enjoyed attempting to corner him as Myron tried to peck Peter, who Myron seemed to have taken a dislike to. By the time Myron was restored to his cage, everyone was in much higher spirits and all settled down to their usual game of Exploding Snap.  
  
Lily and James sat together, whispering and laughing and holding hands when they weren't holding their cards. Alice and Kathleen both eyed Lily narrowly, but she only stared back at them innocently before returning her attention to James.  
  
After the cart had come round and everyone had stuffed themselves with sweets, Morwenna, Alice, Dorcas and Kathleen exchanged glances and, by tacit agreement, rose purposefully.  
  
"We're going to the loo," Morwenna announced loudly, looking at Lily.  
  
"Oookaaay," Remus replied, quirking a brow.  
  
"Have a lovely time," Sirius quipped, smirking.  
  
"Don't you have to go, Lily?' Kathleen asked in a falsely bright voice.  
  
"Er, I'm fine, thanks," Lily replied hesitantly, getting a tighter grip on James' hand.  
  
"No you aren't," Dorcas said, undeterred. "You look like you need to go too."  
  
"All right," Lily agreed hastily, too alarmed to argue. With that, the four other girls dragged Lily unceremoniously down the corridor, leaving five wizards blinking in puzzlement in their wake.  
  
"All right," Kathleen said as soon as they were safely barricaded in the loo, "out with it."  
  
"Out with what?" Lily seemed genuinely confused.  
  
"Out with what happened between you and James!" Morwenna exclaimed impatiently.  
  
"Something's going on between the pair of you," Alice put in, eyeing her friend.  
  
"It's completely obvious," Dorcas added.  
  
"It – it is?" Lily blushed.  
  
"So?" Morwenna prompted. They all looked at Lily expectantly.  
  
Her face nearly the color of her hair, Lily stared determinedly at her toes and blurted it out: "JamesandIslepttogether."  
  
"I knew it!" Alice exclaimed.  
  
"This is huge!" Kathleen squealed as she threw her arms round Lily. Laughing and exclaiming, Morwenna, Alice, and Dorcas joined her till they were a hugging, squealing mass of bodies. Nobody had had any trouble at all interpreting Lily's mumbling.Over an hour later, the Gryffindor wizards, growing concerned over the prolonged absence of the Gryffindor witches, ventured to the loo in search of the girls. Forced to vacate the toilets by a group of desperate second years, Lily, Alice, Morwenna, Dorcas, and Kathleen had in fact overtaken a vacant compartment to finish their discussion by this time. Unfortunately, it was another quarter of an hour before the Gryffindor boys realized this; they spent a very humiliating few minutes trying to discover whether or not the girls were in fact in the toilets, which culminated in James being slapped by a shy-bladdered third year.  
  
As they started hastily back down the corridor, a familiar voice stopped Peter dead in his tracks, causing the four other boys to run headlong into him. Before Sirius, glaring at Peter and holding his nose, could retaliate properly, he and the others heard what Peter had heard and stopped outside a compartment, listening.  
  
"That's ridiculous!" Alice was exclaiming. "You can't mean that Muggles put this little plastic bag thing ON – "She broke off abruptly as the compartment door slid open and the five Gryffindor witches turned to face five very confused wizards, their expressions carefully neutral.  
  
"What're you lot doing in here?" Frank ventured uncertainly, peering at his girlfriend like he'd never seen her before.  
  
"Talking," Alice replied smoothly, blinking her blue eyes innocently. She smiled reassuringly at Frank.  
  
"About clothes," Morwenna put in helpfully. The other four nodded in silent agreement, bright smiles on their faces.  
  
"Er, why couldn't you talk about clothes with us about?" Remus wanted to know, his expression wary.  
  
"We didn't want to bore you," Kathleen replied, offering Remus a dazzling smile. Unconvinced, Peter opened his mouth.  
  
"We needed to bond," Dorcas snapped before Peter could say whatever it was he'd been about to say, looming over him menacingly. "Got a problem with that?" Peter subsided with a squeak and stepped behind Sirius, terror plain in his watery little eyes.  
  
"Since when are 'little plastic bag things' clothes?" James inquired skeptically, not intimidated as easily as Peter.  
  
"Muggles wear them," Morwenna supplied helpfully and truthfully.  
  
"I'm sure they do," Sirius snorted disdainfully. "I suppose the postman wears them when he brings the post, does he, Lils?"  
  
To everyone's surprise, Lily, who had been red-faced and silent up until this point, burst into hysterical giggles at the thought of the postman wearing this particular plastic bag on his rounds.Author's Note: Well, it was a bit later than I intended it to be, but at least I got the next chapter out, right? As always, I want to thank everyone for reviewing; receiving a response from people is what keeps me writing when it would be easier not to. I especially want to thank Palindrome Mistress (I can't tell you how much your supportive comments meant to me), Four Stars, iamdraco'sgal, erak, Desi-Siriuslovesyou, witch heart, Cecilia Orechio, and Jay – and, Emrisah, loved the George of the Jungle quote! Hope everyone enjoys =) 


	41. Past, Present, and Future

Chapter 40 Past, Present, and Future  
  
Time passed quickly at Hogwarts after the Easter holidays, and before the seventh years were ready for it, it was May, which meant that NEWTs were just round the corner. Those seventh years that hadn't yet begun studying were now beginning to panic, and there was actually a crowd in the library most evenings as the fifth and seventh year students crammed for their OWLs and NEWTs respectively.  
  
Severus Snape was not one of those in panic mode. Never one to wait till the last minute, Snape had been on a NEWT study timetable since January. This was just as well, since Snape had more pressing matters to concern himself with.  
  
In the weeks since the Dark Lord's summons, Snape had been making rounds of discreet inquiries among his peers who had been involved in the disastrous attack on the Ministry; there was no way of knowing who, if anyone, was reporting his findings back to Voldemort. It was a pointless exercise of course, but it was crucial that he keep up appearances, lest anyone suspect the truth.  
  
And Snape was quickly running out of time. The Dark Lord was trusting Snape to produce results, but it seemed as though the more Snape searched, the fewer options he had. His subtle inquiries had produced no solutions, and Snape was beginning to feel nervous. It was only a matter of time before he himself became suspect.  
  
True, Snape would do a great deal to preserve himself from suspicion and, consequently, harm. But he somehow fell short of actually giving one of his classmates to Voldemort as a traitor. Though he held affection for none of them and respect for few of them, these people were at least familiar to Snape and for that reason he found, to his own disgust, that he could not wrongfully condemn them to die. His life would have been made a good deal simpler if he could have.  
  
No, he would try to look outside of his own house, Snape decided finally. He had been shut up in his customary study room for a good part of the day, pacing and thinking. He couldn't bring a Death Eater spy to Voldemort for execution if there wasn't a Death Eater to bring. But if someone from a different house had somehow overheard something, it would absolve Snape and his housemates from any guilt in the matter.  
  
The more he considered this option, the more appealing it became to Snape. What he had to do now was look for his opportunity and when he found it, he could not afford to hesitate to seize it.  
  
Coming back to Hogwarts from the Easter holidays had been like crashing back to reality for James. Nothing, it seemed, had gone his way since that one perfect week with Lily.  
  
For one thing, he hadn't been alone with Lily since that Saturday they'd spent together in Muggle London. Not that privacy was remotely possible for them at Hogwarts, but he missed being alone with Lily all the same.  
  
NEWT hysteria was sweeping the seventh year, and while Lily was remaining calm in the face of it, this was not true of the majority of their classmates; if Lily wasn't busy with her Head Girl duties or studying, she was helping everyone else to prepare for their exams.  
  
Quidditch was another dividing factor; the Quidditch Cup finals were on Saturday, and any time James wasn't studying or trying to see Lily, he was holding practice on the pitch. It would be Slytherin versus Gryffindor in the final once again, and James had all he could handle trying to keep his players from hexing the Slytherins senseless, and more importantly, keeping the Gryffindors from being hexed senseless by the Slytherins, who had no such scruples about fair play on or off the pitch.  
  
Therefore James wasn't in the best of moods when Sirius and Peter woke him as they returned to the dormitory late Thursday night.  
  
"But it wasn't MY – OUCH!"  
  
"Shhh! D'you want to wake everyone up, you great git?"  
  
"But that was my FOOT, Sirius!"  
  
"I don't give a bloody damn about your foot, and I STILL wouldn't give a bloody damn even if it was your – "  
  
"Will the pair of you SHUT THE HELL UP?!" James roared, sitting up in his four-poster. "Some of us have an early Quidditch practice tomorrow and you lot AREN'T HELPING!"  
  
"Hear, hear,"came Frank's sleepy voice from across the room.  
  
"Well you didn't have to shout," Peter huffed. Catching sight of James' expression, however, he quickly abandoned his injured dignity.  
  
"Er, why were you lot out so late anyway?" Remus asked hastily, defusing the situation before James could do more than glare.  
  
Sirius and Peter exchanged a glance. "We went to – er - visit the Slytherin dorms," Sirius answered after a brief pause.  
  
"Well, that's great, Padfoot," James snapped. "That's just fan–bloody- tastic. I hope you had fun, because the party in the common room is bound to fall a bit flat on Saturday after we're DISQUALIFIED FROM THE MATCH!"  
  
"I said we WENT to visit the Slytherin dorms," Sirius shot back, a bit irked himself at this point, "not that we VISITED them, so you can just bloody well take the broomstick out of your arse!"  
  
"What do you mean you 'went' to visit them?" Remus asked sharply. "What happened?" Sirius shot a pointed glance toward the bed by the window, but Frank, long used to the Marauders' nocturnal activities, had gone back to sleep. Nevertheless, Sirius drew the curtains round Frank's bed and cast a soundproofing charm on them before replying.  
  
"What I mean," Sirius said, making his way to his bed, "is that that's where Peter and I set out to go, but we didn't get there."  
  
"All right, so where did you go instead?" Remus asked, playing along. James simply glowered.  
  
"Filch's office," Peter said, exchanging another glance with Sirius.  
  
"And what exactly were you doing there?" Remus eyed his friends narrowly.  
  
"Getting a detention," Sirius answered, pulling at the neck of his robes as if they were suddenly strangling him.  
  
"How'd you manage that?" James was coming out of his strop, interested in spite of himself. "You have the Marauder's Map with you, don't you?"  
  
"Er, we HAD it with us," Sirius mumbled, looking down.  
  
"What do you mean HAD?" James and Remus asked in unison.  
  
"He means that we don't have it anymore," Peter burst out, looking ready to cry. "Filch confiscated the Marauder's Map."  
  
It was one of the darkest days the Marauders had known at Hogwarts. The Marauder's Map, the product of five years' worth of effort, their invaluable prank-playing asset, was gone.  
  
Remus, Peter, Sirius, and James sat up the rest of the night, going over and over Peter and Sirius' story.  
  
Peter and Sirius had just come out of the secret passage, en route to the Slytherin dungeons, when they'd run into Filch. Naturally, Peter had created a diversion to give Sirius time to clear the map, but there'd been no getting round it. Filch had dragged them both to his office, issued them each a detention to be served tomorrow night, and confiscated the map, threatening them with thumbscrews and disembowelment if they didn't tell him what it was for. Peter had tried to create another diversion by pretending to faint from his fear of Filch's threats, but Sirius hadn't been able to take the map in time.  
  
All thoughts of sleep now cast aside in view of this emergency, the Marauders immediately planned and executed an extraction, armed with James' Invisibility Cloak. However, when a thorough search of Filch's office failed to turn up the map, reality had to be faced: the Marauder's Map was lost.  
  
The four Marauders went about on Friday with dark circles under their eyes and woebegone expressions, all of them thoroughly depressed over the loss of the map. It seemed depressingly possible that they would never recover it.  
  
James and Sirius were less than their usual brilliant selves at Quidditch practice, Remus' attention actually seemed to be wandering in class, and Peter seemed even more nervous and fidgety than usual. Naturally, Lily and Kathleen, excellent girlfriends that they were, attempted to cheer their boyfriends up, but even this didn't seem to help.  
  
The Marauders' spirits rallied a bit by dinnertime as thoughts of tomorrow's Quidditch match began to encompass everything else. Remus, Sirius, James, and Peter spent dinner discussing Quidditch tactics with the Gryffindor team, and continued the discussion in the common room until James, aware that it was getting late, ordered the team to bed.  
  
Saturday morning was clear and bright as James, Sirius, and the rest of the Gryffindor team made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. As he sat listening to the sleepy conversations of his teammates and the hissed insults and threats from the Slytherin team across the hall, James found himself wishing that Lily were here to wish him luck before the match. But undoubtedly Lily, who was no more of a morning person than he was, was still asleep; the match wouldn't start for two more hours, and undoubtedly Lily was taking the opportunity to sleep in. James would've done the same if he hadn't been playing in the match.  
  
Sighing, James drained his pumpkin juice and stood up to lead his team to the pitch. Something red caught the corner of James' eye before he could move, however, and James turned to see Lily hurrying toward him.  
  
"I came to wish you luck," Lily explained breathlessly, pushing hair out of her eyes. Clearly she'd run all the way from Gryffindor Tower, but she was smiling at him nonetheless. James felt a tightness in his chest as he smiled back at her.  
  
"Not that I need it," James retorted in his cockiest tone, determined not to show emotion in front of his team or the Slytherins. Lily rolled her eyes at him but leaned in to kiss him anyway.  
  
"I can't believe you got up early for me," James said admiringly a few minutes later.  
  
"Don't get used to it," Lily blushed, embarrassed to have been caught doing something that proved that she was as head over heels as James was.  
  
"Right," James smirked at Lily infuriatingly as he sauntered off to join his grinning teammates.  
  
James was still smirking almost three hours later as he looped round a Slytherin Chaser and expertly stole the Quaffle from his grip before the hapless Slytherin could become fully aware of what had happened. The Gryffindor crowd went wild, and James directed another smirk toward the Gryffindor stands before a close call with a Bludger returned his attention to the match.  
  
Observing this from the stands with Alice, Morwenna, Kathleen, Remus, and Peter, Lily felt torn between intense relief that the Slytherin Chaser hadn't brained James and the desire to brain him herself. The Slytherins were playing even dirtier than usual, which for them was really saying something, and James was lucky to have gotten away with his head, let alone the Quaffle. He was showing off, no doubt for her, and it was likely to get him knocked unconscious at least. Lily had lost count of the number of penalties Gryffindor had been awarded.  
  
"Ooooohh!" The crowd's groan and the crack of a Beater's bat against something solid turned Lily's attention back to the match. Anxious, she scanned the Gryffindor players for James.  
  
"And it seems that Gryffindor Beater Black has finally had enough of Slytherin Beater Wilkes' taunting," Ludo Bagman's voice boomed over the crowd. "Penalty for the Slytherins!" Lily caught sight of the Slytherin Beater in question, still miraculously on his broomstick, holding his head and regarding the Slytherin captain, who was waving three fingers in front of his face, with a rather glazed expression. Sirius, on the other hand, wore an expression of poorly concealed glee on his face as he received not- so-subtle congratulations from Higgins, the other Gryffindor Beater.  
  
"Ugh," came Alice's voice from Lily's right side, "I don't think I could stand to watch those Slytherin bastards make this shot. Let's go to the loo, shall we?"  
  
As it turned out, Morwenna and Kathleen didn't care to watch Wilkes make the goal either, so the four girls set out, Remus and Peter barely noticing their departure. It was next to impossible to negotiate the cheering crowds in the stands, so Lily, Alice, Morwenna, and Kathleen made their way under the seats, where there were a good deal fewer people.  
  
Alice, who was trying to hear Morwenna over the noise, wasn't paying attention to what was in front of her and collided head first with someone.  
  
"Oh," Alice gasped, disentangling herself and staggering to her feet. "Oh, I'm so sorry! It's all my fault, I wasn't watching where I was going. Here, let me help you – "  
  
Alice's voice simply died away. Lily glanced round at her friend sharply, but Alice, seemingly unhurt, was staring at the figure in front of her as though possessed. Unable to see in the dim light, Lily drew her wand and whispered "Lumos."  
  
The wandlight cast shadows over the walls and Morwenna and Kathleen, giving the area below the stands an ominous feeling. Unnerved now, Lily brought her wand closer to the figure Alice had bumped into and found Bellatrix Black grinning back at her.  
  
"Think nothing of it, poppet," Bellatrix said to Alice, an odd glitter in her eyes. Lily saw now that four Slytherin girls stood behind her, wearing expressions of malicious excitement. "Clumsiness does seem to run in your family, after all."  
  
Morwenna stepped forward, fists clenched. "How DARE you speak to Alice about her family?" she hissed, trembling with fury.  
  
Bellatrix quirked a mocking brow at Morwenna. "Ohh, so ickle Miss Marchbanks has claws, does she?" Bellatrix singsonged as her friends tittered behind her. "Been spending a bit of time with the Mudblood, have you, Marchbanks?"  
  
"You bitch!" Alice snarled. And, before anyone could stop her, Alice launched herself at Bellatrix, Morwenna close behind her.  
  
"Uh....?" Kathleen looked round at Lily uneasily as their friends began to pummel Bellatrix.  
  
"There doesn't seem to be much choice," Lily indicated the Slytherin girls who had now entered the fray and moved toward the screeching mass of girls with a purposeful air.  
  
"Right," Kathleen answered grimly, rolling up her sleeves as she followed Lily into the brawl.  
  
Brandishing the Quidditch Cup, James scanned the cheering crowd for any sign of red hair and was disappointed to find none. Where was Lily, for Merlin's sake? James was reasonably sure that he'd seen her in the stands, but there was no sign of her now. He'd just won the Quidditch Cup for the sixth consecutive year, and his girlfriend was missing it.  
  
Dejected, James accepted congratulations from everyone but Lily automatically, glancing round him. Professor Dumbledore was speaking with a wizard James had never seen before, gesturing toward the Gryffindor team. Dorcas and Frank stood off to one side, smiling widely as they talked to each other. So Lily wasn't congratulating Dorcas.  
  
"Oi! Prongs!" Sirius, Remus, and Peter made their way through the throng to him, all three of them grinning.  
  
"Where's Lily?" James asked Remus and Peter. "Wasn't she sitting with you?"  
  
"She was," Remus replied, frowning now. "But she, Kathleen, Morwenna, and Alice went off somewhere a few minutes before the match ended."  
  
"We'd assumed they were here," Peter put in, looking round worriedly.  
  
"Don't panic yet, Prongs," Sirius said quickly, recognizing the look on James' face. "There're Frank and Dorcas; they might know something." James, with Sirius, Remus, and Peter at his heels, started toward Dorcas and Frank, who were now in conversation with Hestia Jones, a Ravenclaw seventh year.  
  
Before the Marauders could get there, however, Frank and Dorcas exclaimed "WHAT?!" in perfect unison, remounted their broomsticks, and kicked off, flying hard in the direction of the castle.  
  
"Hestia!" James shouted, toppling third years as he ran, "What's happened? What did you tell Dorcas and Frank?"  
  
"Oh, James," Hestia blushed a bit, seemingly embarrassed. "I-it's nothing to be upset about, Morwenna just asked me to come and tell you lot so you wouldn't worry about them."  
  
"Tell us what?" James asked, feeling panicked.  
  
"Er," Hestia fidgeted. "Just that they – Morwenna, Alice, Lily, and Kathleen, that is – are in the hospital wing."  
  
"WHAT?!" the Marauders cried in perfect imitation of Dorcas and Frank and immediately began asking questions all at once.  
  
"WHAT HAPPENED?" James shouted, making himself heard over the din.  
  
Hestia shook her head. "I'm not supposed to tell you that part," she said apologetically. "I was just supposed to tell you that they're okay and not to worry."  
  
The Marauders snorted at this, but wasted no more time debating the point as James and Sirius mounted their broomsticks, pulling Remus and Peter on behind them.  
  
"Thank you," Remus called to Hestia over his shoulder as James kicked off.  
  
Panting and out of breath, James and Remus, with Peter and Sirius right behind them, raced down the corridor toward the hospital wing. Professor McGonagall's voice drifted toward them; clearly their Head of House was in rare form over something.  
  
"......ABSOLUTELY DISGRACEFUL!" McGonagall was saying as they approached. "I have come to expect better behavior from all of you! Fifty points from Gryffindor! You will all be serving detentions and you will write letters apologizing for your shameful conduct!" Not wasting anymore time, James burst into the hospital wing, his friends behind him, and stopped, shocked, at the sight in front of him.  
  
Professors Astral and McGonagall stood in the middle of the room, acting as a buffer between the four Gryffindor and five Slytherin girls, all of whom were nursing injuries ranging from minor scrapes and bruises to what appeared to be broken arms and concussions. If James hadn't known Lily better, he'd have thought this looked like the aftermath of a particularly vicious fistfight.  
  
Professor McGonagall spun round and noticed the Marauders. "I might have known you lot would be turning up," she sighed, shooting the four boys a narrow look. "You may stand over there with the others; I'm not finished with these girls yet, and you may not speak with them until I am." McGonagall indicated a small knot of students in the corner that included Frank and Dorcas. Madam Pomfrey ushered the Marauders over to join them.  
  
"What happened?" James whispered to Frank as soon as Madam Pomfrey had turned away again.  
  
"Apparently Alice, Lily, Morwenna, and Kathleen got into it with Bellatrix and her lot," Frank whispered back, casting a wary eye toward McGonagall, who was now lecturing the Slytherin girls.  
  
"What about?" Sirius wanted to know.  
  
"Don't know," a Hufflepuff boy answered him, "but I've never seen anything like it before in my entire life. I was going under the bleachers toward the pitch when I saw all nine of them going at each other."  
  
"Where's Bellatrix?" Remus asked, glancing round. "I don't see her anywhere."  
  
"She's behind that curtain," the Hufflepuff boy indicated an enclosed bed. "She was hurt a bit worse than the rest."  
  
Before the Marauders could inquire further, the Slytherin girls, sniffling and clutching one another, made their way out of the hospital wing behind Professor Astral, who looked very cross. Not wasting any more time, James made his way straight to Lily.  
  
Are you all right?" he asked her, kneeling down next to the bed she was sitting on and squeezing her tight enough to cut off her oxygen supply. Sirius crowded in behind him.  
  
"I'm fine," Lily answered, pulling back a bit, and with the exception of the fingernail gouges running down one cheek and a rather bruised forearm, she seemed to be.  
  
"What in the bloody hell happened?" James asked, touching her gouges carefully with one finger.  
  
Quickly Lily gave an account of the exchange between Alice, Morwenna, and Bellatrix and the subsequent fistfight that had finally been broken up when the match had ended and a group of students on their way to the pitch had found them.  
  
"Professor McGonagall was livid," Lily finished up, glancing round at her friends. Alice and Frank were huddled on one bed, talking quietly; Alice, sporting a black eye, was clearly on the verge of tears. Nearby, Morwenna, Dorcas, and Peter sat together while Madam Pomfrey examined a lump on Morwenna's head. Remus, who was a bit pale, sat with his arms round Kathleen, who was giving him an animated account of the proceedings, her bandaged ankle propped on the bed.  
  
What happened to Bellatrix?" James remembered to ask. "A Hufflepuff boy said she was bad off."  
  
"Er – yes, well, she has a couple of broken ribs and some really nasty bruises," Lily said, not quite meeting James' eye.  
  
"Not that the bitch doesn't deserve everything she gets, but how exactly did that happen?" Sirius asked, watching Lily closely.  
  
"I should imagine it happened after Alice and Morwenna finished jumping up and down on her," Lily answered innocently, the corners of her lips twitching suspiciously.  
  
"Wish I'd been there to see that," James said, grinning.  
  
"Me too," Sirius seconded in a reverential voice, a faraway look in his eyes.  
  
"If you all are sufficiently recovered, you may make your way to Gryffindor Tower," Professor McGonagall said a good deal more cheerfully than anyone would have thought she would be. "By the way, Potter, Meadows, Professor Dumbledore wishes to see you both in his office at the earliest possible convenience." With that, Professor McGonagall made her way toward the door.  
  
As she passed Alice's bed, her handkerchief fell to the ground. "Oh, here, Professor, you dropped this," Alice said, holding the handkerchief out.  
  
"Thank you, Miss Prewett," McGonagall said formally, taking it from her. "Fifty points to Gryffindor." Professor McGonagall reached the door, ignoring the shocked gasps all round her, and exited with her customary briskness, but Lily could have sworn that there was a satisfied twinkle in her eye.  
  
More than an hour later, James and Dorcas made their way to Professor Dumbledore's office, still talking about the Quidditch match and the Gryffindor girls' fistfight, stopping only when they reached Dumbledore's door.  
  
"Enter," came Dumbledore's voice in response to James' knock. Dorcas and James pushed open the door and came in to find the Headmaster standing with a strange witch and wizard.  
  
"James, Dorcas, may I present Crispus Colepepper of the Wimbourne Wasps and Gwenog Jones of the Holyhead Harpies," Professor Dumbledore said in a smooth voice. "They saw you both play in today's match and are interested in discussing your prospects with you."  
  
James and Dorcas had just enough time to exchange bemused glances before Colepepper and Jones began a barrage of questions, asking them about everything from how long they'd been playing to when their exams were to their favourite players when they were children. It was nearly half an hour before Dumbledore, as tactfully as possible, suggested that they give James and Dorcas some time to consider their offers. The next thing James knew, he and Dorcas were standing back out in the corridor, both feeling like they were in some sort of dream. Whether the dream was good or bad, James wasn't quite sure.  
  
"I never would have thought I was good enough to play Quidditch professionally; I always thought I'd be an Auror like my dad wanted me to be. It might be sort of cool though to play for an all-witches' team, and Gwenog Jones seems like she's really good," Dorcas mused excitedly as they made their way back to Gryffindor Tower. "Of course, I'd love to play for the Wasps, but I think Mr. Colepepper was more interested in you than in me. What do you think, James?"  
  
"Huh?" James, still a bit dazed, was having trouble focusing on Dorcas' voice.  
  
"I asked you what you thought," Dorcas repeated, a hint of exasperation in her voice. "Honestly – James? Is something the matter?" Dorcas peered into James' face. "You don't look at all well."  
  
"Just shocked, I expect," James smiled distractedly.  
  
"Right," Dorcas echoed uncertainly, giving James a discerning look. They continued in silence for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts.  
  
"This is what you want, isn't it, James?" Dorcas asked suddenly. "To play for England, I mean?"  
  
"Yeah," James replied, completely truthfully. "I used to dream about this."  
  
"Then there's no problem, is there?" Dorcas said triumphantly, the note of excitement back in her voice.  
  
"Nope, no problem," James echoed weakly, trying to shake himself out of it.  
  
"This is wicked!" Dorcas exclaimed, throwing her arms round James. "The pair of us, playing for England together! Who'd have thought? I'm going to write to my parents!" With that, Dorcas dashed off toward Gryffindor Tower, leaving James behind.  
  
Playing Quidditch professionally used to be what he wanted, James reflected as he made his way to the common room more slowly, pausing to gaze out a window at the Quidditch pitch in the distance. The crowds, the uniforms, the adoring fans – James had practically been able to taste them. But when he thought of Lily and of Professor Dumbledore and his parents and Voldemort and all of the terrible things that happened to people like Alice and Morwenna every day, James could feel the doubt swirling round in his gut until it was almost painful.  
  
With an effort, James continued on his way, his thoughts chasing each other round and round his brain.  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Thanks so much, everyone, for your reviews! I'm glad people enjoyed reading this chapter ( I had loads of fun writing it) and I always like to hear what people's favorite parts were or what parts related to their lives (who knew funnel analogies were so popular?) If I thanked people individually, the list would be stupidly long, so I'll just say again, thanks to everyone. 'Til next time! 


	42. Things That Matter

Chapter 41 Things That Matter  
  
James hardly noticed the weeks passing after the Quidditch Cup as he tried to come to some sort of decision about his future. But he couldn't decide if he wanted to pursue something he'd always thought he wanted or lead the no doubt more difficult (not to mention shorter) life of an Auror. He'd been quite apprehensive about telling his friends, especially Sirius, about the offer, and Sirius' uncharacteristic standoffishness when James told him the news confirmed his suspicions. Sirius was jealous, and that only made the choice all the more difficult.  
  
But James didn't have a great deal of time to concentrate on his dilemma. NEWTs were now only a week away and they of course had to come first, as he didn't have to make his decision until they were over.  
  
Dorcas had been unexpectedly subdued as well when her initial excitement was over. Lily was a bit worried about her, in fact, and intended to ask Dorcas about it next time she caught her alone. That time came three days before the first NEWT exam when Lily was in the library. She found Dorcas sitting in a back corner, alone in spite of the crowd doing last minute studying.  
  
"All right, Dorcas?" Lily asked, sitting down beside her on the stone floor.  
  
"I guess," Dorcas replied, looking anything but all right.  
  
"What's wrong?" Lily asked. "You seem a bit off."  
  
Dorcas sighed before answering. "I want to play Quidditch – I do – but somehow it just doesn't feel right."  
  
"What do you mean exactly?" Lily wanted to know.  
  
"I mean I thought it'd feel loads better to get what I wanted than it actually does."  
  
"Oh," Lily paused, considering. "Are you sure that playing Quidditch is what you want?" she asked shrewdly after studying Dorcas for a moment.  
  
Dorcas hesitated, fidgeting. "I thought it was when they made the offer. I'd never considered playing Quidditch professionally, not really. I mean, who knew I was good enough? But now that I've had time to think, there's something else I want as well."  
  
"And what's that?" Lily inquired.  
  
"Well," Dorcas shifted uneasily and looked down at her hands before continuing. "My mum and dad always wanted me to be one, and I always expected to, to make them happy, you know – but, well, now that I've actually thought about it seriously – I think I want to become an Auror."  
  
"An Auror?" Lily crinkled her brow momentarily, then smiled. "Well, I can't say it doesn't sound perfect for you."  
  
"You think?" Dorcas smiled shyly.  
  
"Yes, I do think," Lily answered firmly. "Of course, any Ministry job's a challenge, especially that one, but I'd say if anyone could be an Auror, it'd be you. What made you change your mind about Quidditch?"  
  
"Well," Dorcas frowned thoughtfully, searching for words. "All that business with Bellatrix last year, for one – "Dorcas broke off as she and Lily heard the thud of a falling book nearby. Both girls glanced round but didn't see anything unusual.  
  
"You were saying?" Lily prompted a bit uncomfortably.  
  
"Right," Dorcas seemed uncomfortable as well. "So the incident with Bellatrix for one thing, and then I thought about things like all of the attacks, and how little the Ministry can actually do to prevent them, and great wizards like Dumbledore and what would've happened if he hadn't become a professor and Wizengamot member and had just gone off to become a – a professional Gobstones player or something....... Well, it all just makes you remember what's important, doesn't it?"  
  
"It does," Lily agreed. "But that doesn't mean that you can't play Quidditch. You can't let what's happening with Voldemort and the Death Eaters determine your entire life for you."  
  
"I've thought about all of that too," Dorcas replied. "And I want to help to fight them. It's my decision and I don't think I could stand it if I went off to play Quidditch and just ignored it all when I know I might be able to help."  
  
Lily opened her mouth, but before she could reply she and Dorcas heard a shuffling sound. "Let's go," she said instead, smiling at Dorcas.  
  
"Yeah, all right," Dorcas agreed. It was an eerie feeling, the feeling that they were being watched. The two girls made their way out of the library, neither of them glancing back to see the figure that had stepped out from between the rows of shelves.  
  
Bellatrix's timing did indeed demonstrate a flair for the dramatic, Snape reflected irritably. Two days before NEWTs, and here was Bellatrix asking to see him, though nothing could be so critical that it couldn't wait till after exams. Resigning himself, Snape rapped on the door of one of the study rooms. Some unseen person opened the door and Snape stepped warily in to find, to his surprise, not only Bellatrix but Rosier, Wilkes, Rabastan Lestrange, and Regulus Black jammed into the room as well. "What's going on here?" Snape asked sharply, resisting the impulse to draw his wand.  
  
Bellatrix smiled, eyes glittering, as she moved to kiss Snape on the cheek in greeting. "Well, isn't that just the grand bloody Galleon prize question?" She said almost lovingly, a trace of mockery in her eyes as she caressed Snape's cheek.  
  
Snape snatched the hand away. "What ridiculous plot have you concocted this time?" he demanded harshly, nervous.  
  
"Got it in one, poppet," Bellatrix smiled humorlessly, seemingly unperturbed by Snape's coldness. "Except that it's not my plot that's prompted this particular reunion." Bellatrix paused, eyes glittering feverishly. "I've found your spy for you," she proclaimed at last.  
  
Bellatrix had been in the library the evening before looking for a book on Transfiguration. As she'd been perusing the shelves, she'd heard low murmuring nearby. Unable to determine who was speaking or what they were saying, Bellatrix had largely ignored them until she'd caught the sound of her name. An instant later it had registered with Bellatrix whose voice was speaking and she'd dropped her book in surprise.  
  
Afraid momentarily that they'd left, Bellatrix waited till they'd begun talking again before creeping closer to eavesdrop on Evans and Meadows. Meadows had been doing most of the talking, and their voices were so soft that Bellatrix had only been able to catch every fifth word or so, but those few words had been telling enough. Furious, Bellatrix had huddled between the bookshelves and listened with growing rage and horror: "attacks.........Ministry...........prevent........Dumbledore...........Wizengamot......"  
  
"Meadows and Evans were the spies who sabotaged Lestrange's attack," Bellatrix stated flatly, finishing her tale. "They are the ones to blame."  
  
"But the Mudblood didn't say anything," Snape pointed out in what he hoped was a reasonable tone as he fought for control. "And how exactly do you know that the Dark Lord suspected there was a spy, Bellatrix?" he added coolly, watching her intently.  
  
"You quite fancy yourself, don't you, poppet?" Bellatrix smiled patronizingly, amused. "You are not the only one privileged enough to be taken into the Dark Lord's confidence, Severus darling. As for the other matter," Bellatrix's grin widened, a cat that ate the canary, "you've not heard all yet." She looked expectantly toward Regulus, who stepped forward nervously.  
  
"I saw Evans leaving the dungeons that night in a great hurry," Regulus stated, clearly eager to find favour.  
  
"Don't you see, darling?" Bellatrix cut in eagerly, putting an arm round her cousin. "It all fits. We all know that the little Mudblood bitch's boyfriend is able to come and go in our common room as he pleases; he must have taught her. We've found our spies!"  
  
"Don't be a fool, Bellatrix," Snape enunciated slowly in his most withering tone, hiding his panic. "This proves NOTHING. Don't allow your petty schoolgirl grudge against Evans jeopardize the Dark Lord's cause and all of us along with it. This is, I grant you, a lead worth considering, but further investigation is required, CERTAINTY IS REQUIRED."  
  
"'Don't let my grudge cloud my judgement?'" Bellatrix laughed, raising the hackles on Snape's neck. "Surely that's a bit rich coming from you, Severus darling, who blames any and everything possible on James Potter."  
  
Rosier came forward now to stand in front of Snape. "And surely you aren't suggesting, old friend, that any of the people in this room are disloyal in any way?" Rosier's threat was softly spoken, but a threat nonetheless. A low murmur of assent rippled round the room, the others as resentful as Rosier.  
  
"At least ATTEMPT not to be so completely and utterly stupid, Evan," Snape snapped, goaded. "I too serve the Dark Lord; I am merely ensuring that the orders he gave me are carried out properly. Surely YOU aren't suggesting that our lord's orders be ignored?" Snape and Rosier locked glances, each trying to stare the other down, and it was Rosier who glanced away first and moved back into the shadows, face flushed with anger and embarrassment.  
  
"Neatly played, pet," Bellatrix mocked, grinning. "It won't help, though. I don't know what angle you're attempting with this righteous bit, but you're forgetting that you're not the only one here with the, er – stamp – of authority," Bellatix indicated her left forearm ironically, "and I say we've all the proof we need."  
  
Snape inhaled, thinking fast. "I won't let you do this, Bellatrix," he said finally. "I won't allow you to jeopardize the Dark Lord's entire operation for some schoolgirl snit."  
  
"Schoolgirl snit, Severus, darling?" Bellatrix looked vulnerable all of a sudden, and Snape wasn't sure, but he thought he detected a glimmer of hurt in her eyes. "You ought to know better than most what it is between the Mudblood and me. And why should you be so concerned for her welfare anyway?" Bellatrix added, her voice growing passionate. "She's only a Mudblood; if the Dark Lord kills her, what does the reason matter? She. Is. Only. A. Mudblood," Bellatrix enunciated, driving her point home. "Whether she's executed as a spy or merely for being who she is, what does the reason matter?"  
  
"This isn't about bloody Evans, Bellatrix!" Snape exclaimed. "This is about making sure we know who the spy is!" Snape's words echoed round the room, but few seemed convinced, Bellatrix least of all.  
  
"I see," Bellatrix spoke in an odd voice, and Snape wondered if she actually DID see for the first time in her narrow-minded, self-centered existence. "Well, you've made your point, pet, but it's all for naught. As I was telling the others prior to your arrival, I've already sent the owl; the Dark Lord knows by now. Evans and Meadows are dead where they stand. So sorry to disappoint, Severus darling."  
  
NEWTS descended upon the seventh year at long last, bringing an unnatural silence to the castle and causing frenzies of furious studying, late nights, foul tempers, and more than one hysterical outburst. The majority of the seventh year Gryffindors seemed to be weathering the storm tolerably well, though Peter always seemed to be near tears and Alice tended to walk round muttering to herself. The other three Marauders took things more of less in their stride, Morwenna seemed a bit dazed, Dorcas was always missing, and Kathleen fidgeted about nervously.  
  
Lily was in a rather irritable mood most of the time; not a heavy studier herself, she found the constant studying to be a bit taxing on her general goodwill. However, the real reason Lily was irritable was because of her concern for James. Now that Dorcas seemed mostly sorted out, Lily could concentrate her concern on her boyfriend. But James seemed disinclined to talk about what was bothering him. Instead, he was constantly persuading Lily to leave off studying and go and do things with him: walk to the lake, visit the kitchens, go for rides on his broomstick. But never in all the time they spent together did he mention what might be bothering him.  
  
Herbology was the first exam, with the written part in the morning and the practical in the afternoon. The Gryffindors returned to their tower more or less satisfied with the outcome, with the exceptions of Peter, who'd misidentified one of the plants in the essay portion of the exam, and Morwenna, who'd sustained a bite from a biting geranium. Next came Charms, which apparently went quite well for Lily, or so the others inferred when all the examiners gathered round to watch her practical exam and gave her a standing ovation afterward. The following day was Potions, the practical portion of which required the seventh years to stand over boiling cauldrons in an already sweltering classroom, making already nervous tempers rather high, and then came Transfiguration, which earned James and Sirius much praise, causing their already-healthy egos to overinflate, and led to Lily clobbering both of them with her notebook that night in the common room.  
  
Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, and History of Magic followed until the seventh years were down to their last exam, Defense Against the Dark Arts. Nearly exhausted at this point, most of the Gryffindor seventh years studied for as long as they could before stumbling off to bed for a few exhausted hours' sleep before the last exam.  
  
Tired as the rest of them but restless in spite of it, James kissed Lily good night and pulled on his Invisibility Cloak to go for an after- hours walk through the castle to clear his head.  
  
It was rather thrilling in a way to be doing this without the Marauder's Map, James reflected as he shuffled along. There was loads more risk this way and –  
  
"James?"  
  
James jumped out of his skin and whirled round to find Professor Dumbledore looking in his general vicinity, eyes twinkling with amusement.  
  
Sheepishly, James pulled off the cloak. "You startled me, Professor," he mumbled, embarrassed. "How did you know I was there?"  
  
"I could hear someone moving," Professor Dumbledore replied, "and as there is a limited number of students in possession of an Invisibility Cloak, I merely took a guess."  
  
"Oh," James felt at a loss. "Wait a minute, how did you – er – never mind." James decided he probably didn't want to know how exactly the Headmaster knew about that particular family heirloom.  
  
They walked along in silence for a bit, lost in their own thoughts. "Is something troubling you, James?" Dumbledore asked mildly a good while later.  
  
"No," James replied automatically. "I mean – that is – well, yes, actually," he amended, reconsidering. "Professor, how are you supposed to know what you want to do for the rest of your life anyway?"  
  
Dumbledore smiled at James' phrasing. "Nobody knows what the future will bring, James," he replied cryptically. "All you can do is choose something that matters to you and see what happens."  
  
"Well, these two things I'm considering," James mused, running a hand absently through his hair, "both of them matter to me. A lot. I just – I've always wanted one of them, ever since I was little, and the other – Well, I haven't always wanted it, but – it just SEEMS like I ought to want it more because it – being an Auror – seems so much more important than – " James swallowed, not believing what he was saying "- flying about on some dumb broomstick. Especially now, with Voldemort and everything."  
  
Dumbledore sighed, looking troubled. "James," he said finally, "These are very dark times indeed, but not so dark that you should become an Auror if that isn't what you want to do. You have an extraordinary talent, you would no doubt make an excellent Auror, but James, if you want to play Quidditch, don't believe that it's any less important. Your life is yours to do with as you choose. Voldemort has taken enough lives without taking your choices away as well."  
  
"Yes, sir," James said in a small voice, feeling a rock in the pit of his stomach.  
  
"On the other hand," Dumbledore went on, "for some time in my youth I wanted to be a professional tenpin bowler. It was all I ever wanted to do, and so I took it for granted that because I had always wanted to be a bowler in the past that I continued to want to be a bowler. But when the time came for me to make a decision, I found that bowling didn't have the appeal it had once held, that I wanted to become a professor instead."  
  
"Did you ever regret it?" James asked, still a bit apprehensive.  
  
"I don't regret my choice to become a professor, but I wouldn't be honest if I didn't admit that there are moments of regret, not necessarily for my lost bowling career, but for what might have been," Dumbledore answered, leaving James to wonder which of the things that had happened in Professor Dumbledore's very eventful life had given him cause to have regrets.  
  
"But for now I think it's time for us both to go to bed," Dumbledore broke the silence cheerfully. "Good night, James."  
  
"Good night, Professor," James echoed, lost in his own thoughts once more.  
  
The Defense Against the Dark Arts exam seemed to go on forever to all those who were sitting for it. The lengthy written portion turned the seventh years' brains to jelly, which was very dangerous, considering the practical portion required them to be on the alert. Finally, however, it was over, and the seventh years were free from exams for the last time.  
  
That night after dinner, James and Dorcas made their way back to Professor Dumbledore's office where Crispus Colepepper and Gwenog Jones had come to hear their final decisions.  
  
Butterflies in his stomach, James knocked on the door and, after hearing Dumbledore tell him to enter, made his way nervously into the room.  
  
"James! Dorcas!" Crispus Colepepper exclaimed, beaming at them both warmly extending his hand to Dorcas and James in turn. "Nice to see you both."  
  
Gwenog Jones shook hands with them as well, and, at Dumbledore's suggestion, they all sat down round his desk.  
  
"So let's hear it, then," Gwenog Jones said, looking at Dorcas encouragingly.  
  
"If you've both made your decisions, that is," Colepepper put in hastily, glancing at Jones. He looked relieved when both James and Dorcas nodded their heads.  
  
"What do you say then, James?" Mr. Colepepper prodded expectantly.  
  
"Well," James, who looked a bit green, took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm really grateful for the offer, Mr. Colepepper, really I am, but I'm afraid I can't accept it."  
  
"Can't accept it?!" Colepepper exploded, looking thoroughly scandalized. "But – but – the Wimbourne Wasps – SELECTED you!"  
  
"I'm really sorry, Mr. Colepepper," James repeated gently, "but I won't be joining your team."  
  
"Humph," Gwenog Jones snorted, shooting James a scornful look. "I'm sure your teammate here will be more sensible. Eh, Dorcas?"  
  
Dorcas shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't accept your offer either, Miss Jones. EITHER of your offers," she added hastily, seeing the look on Jones' face.  
  
"But – but – WHY?!" Poor Mr. Colepepper seemed unable to grasp the reality of the situation. "WHY?"  
  
"I've decided that Quidditch isn't the thing that matters most to me," James replied simply. He stood to go. "Thanks again, Mr. Colepepper. Good bye, Miss Jones. See you later, Professor." With that, James turned and made his way to the office door. His knees shook a bit and his head felt curiously light, but James didn't look back, and somehow he didn't think he ever would.  
  
James let himself into the Gryffindor dormitory a couple of hours later, trying to be quiet in case the others were sleeping. James had felt the need to be alone for a bit immediately after the interview, but he now felt ready to face his friends and the world with his decision.  
  
To James' simultaneous relief and dread, Sirius was the only one in the room. While in the past James had always been able to tell his best mate anything, he was a bit apprehensive about this after Sirius' seeming jealousy. Still, James had to start somewhere, and he wanted to practice by telling someone else before he told Lily.  
  
Taking a deep breath, James made his way to his bed and sat down, not looking at Sirius. "Hi," he said finally, bent over to untie his shoes.  
  
"Hi," Sirius replied, setting aside his magazine and looking at James expectantly. "So?"  
  
"So what?" James stalled.  
  
Sirius snorted. "So d'you think Peter should be the next Minister of Magic. So how did the interview go, you wanker!"  
  
"Right," James said, wiping his sweaty palms on his trousers. "I – er – I sort of told Colepepper I didn't want to accept his offer."  
  
An odd, shuttered expression settled over Sirius' features. "Why did you say that?" he asked carefully.  
  
James gulped. "Because I sort of decided that I want to be an Auror instead."  
  
An earsplitting grin lit Sirius' face and he let out a whoop of joy before tackling James to the floor.  
  
"Glad you're happy," James grumbled good-naturedly, grinning back at Sirius. "If you heard how much money I've just turned down you'd probably be crying."  
  
"Why would I cry? It's your loss, not mine," Sirius retorted flippantly, crawling back onto his bed.  
  
"All jokes aside, do you really think I'm making the right decision or are you just glad because you were jealous that they didn't offer for you?" James asked bluntly, needing to hear it straight from one of the two people whose opinions mattered most to him.  
  
Sirius' eyebrows rose in surprise. "You thought I was jealous of you?"  
  
"Yeah, I did," James admitted candidly. "You didn't say much when I told you about the offer."  
  
"If I didn't say much, it was because I was surprised," Sirius replied, looking James straight in the eye. "Not surprised that they offered for you but surprised because you were considering the offer."  
  
"It's what we always wanted as kids," James defended himself. "We always used to talk about the day when we would play for England together, be the best Beater and Chaser Quidditch has ever seen and have pitches and moves named after us. Why wouldn't I consider? Hell, why wouldn't I accept?"  
  
"Well, I suppose because you've grown up," Sirius replied matter-of- factly. "Sure we used to talk about all those things, but I think we both know that other things matter more." Apparently deciding he'd been serious too long, Sirius adopted a lighter tone. "Besides, now we can be the best Aurors the world has ever seen and have statues in our honor and kids can learn about us in Defense Against the Dark Arts AND History of Magic."  
  
James couldn't help but laugh. "Too right," he said finally. "Who'd make better Aurors than the Marauders anyway? We'll hex Voldemort into the next century and Transfigure him into one of those plastic bag things Lily claims that Muggles wear without breaking a sweat." Sirius and James exchanged a smirk, supremely confident in their own abilities.  
  
"Honestly though, mate," Sirius said several minutes later after they'd finished compiling a list of places statues in their honour could be erected, "When you told me Colepepper was offering you a place with the Wasps, I was glad it was you who had to turn it all down and not me. I'm not sure I could've done it."  
  
"Yeah, that's probably true," James smirked. "Quidditch players are always surrounded by witches, and we both know what a weakness you have for a – er – a pretty face."  
  
"Look who's talking," Sirius snorted. "Speaking of pretty faces, isn't there one you should be sharing the good news with right about now?"  
  
"What an excellent suggestion," James quipped, grinning as he pulled himself to his feet. "I'll see you later, shall I?"  
  
"If you insist," Sirius grinned devilishly. "Tell Lily I send the postman my regards."  
  
Shaking his head, James threw a sock at Sirius' head and hurried downstairs to find Lily.  
  
Author's Note: It's so sad; this is the second to last chapter at Hogwarts! Still, hopefully the "real world" will prove interesting reading for everyone. Thanks, as always, for the reviews; you all know how much I appreciate them. Hope you enjoy! 


	43. Goodbye to Hogwarts

Chapter 42 Goodbye to Hogwarts  
  
The seventh year students made their way to breakfast the next morning with considerably more cheer and volume than they had for weeks. NEWTs were officially over, and they still had a week of school where absolutely nothing was required of them. The rest of the student body wasn't quite so lucky; final exams were still in progress, and a good many cast dour looks at the exuberant seventh years.  
  
The Gryffindor table was the loudest in the hall as the Gryffindor seventh years argued spiritedly over whether they ought to spend the day lounging by the lake or lounging in the common room. The arrival of the post scarcely put a dent in the proceedings, not even when owls delivered letters to Frank, Sirius, and Kathleen. Sirius accepted his letter from a black owl absentmindedly and carried on arguing with Remus and Peter about the merits of lake versus common room. However, when Sirius flipped the letter over and saw its seal, he abruptly ceased his efforts to upend the butter dish over Remus' head. Instead, he dropped said dish, which landed with a splat in Morwenna's lap, and began opening his letter with the air of someone forced to touch a man-eating tiger. The others waited patiently, with the exception of Morwenna, who glared at Sirius menacingly as she attempted to Scourgify the butter from her lap.  
  
"So who's the letter from?" James ventured finally as Sirius set down his post.  
  
"My family's solicitor," Sirius replied tonelessly. "My Uncle Alphard's died and left me all his money."  
  
This was met with silence, as the others exchanged glances and shifted uncomfortably, not quite sure what to say.  
  
"I'm sorry to hear about your uncle, Sirius," Lily said finally. "Were you very close?"  
  
"Hadn't seen him in years," Sirius answered absently, scanning the letter once more. "He was disowned, y'know – like me. I s'pose that's why he left the money to me." James, Remus, and Peter looked at each other uncertainly; they'd never known Sirius to talk about his family in public before.  
  
"What're you going to do with the money, Sirius?" Peter blurted after a few minutes of very uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Dunno," Sirius mused. "I hadn't given it much thought." The Gryffindors then settled into a discussion of all of the things Sirius could do with his money. Soon they were all thoroughly immersed in this conversation with the exception of Lily, who couldn't help but t notice the particularly vicious glares coming their way from the Slytherin table. From Bellatrix, Rosier, Wilkes, and Rabastan Lestrange, to be specific. Uncomfortable, Lily nudged Dorcas on her left and Alice on her right, then nodded meaningfully toward the Slytherins to make her point. Alice nudged Kathleen and Dorcas kicked Morwenna under the table to spread the message, but through a serious of shrugs, all managed to convey that they had no idea why the Slytherins seemed more hostile than usual.  
  
However, in spite of their determination to disregard it, the constant staring and whispers from the Slytherin table grew difficult to ignore. The Gryffindor wizards carried on with their conversation, oblivious to the fact that the witches were a bit quiet.  
  
Alice finally snapped near the end of breakfast when Rosier and Wilkes, no longer content to glare, began mouthing insults. When Wilkes mouthed "Mudblood" to Lily, Alice, feeling thoroughly goaded, made an extremely rude gesture in retaliation, causing Morwenna to gasp and Dorcas and Kathleen to giggle. Noticing this disturbance, the boys glanced round to see Lily looking a bit strained, Morwenna wearing an expression of amused shock, Dorcas and Kathleen recovering from their respective giggling fits, and Alice blushing profusely, a satisfied expression on her face.  
  
Interest piqued, James, Remus, Sirius, Peter, and Frank waited to be enlightened, but to no avail. Knowing the Marauders' taste for trouble, often-misplaced gallantry, and impetuousness, not to mention their long and distinguished history with the Slytherins, the girls elected to keep quiet rather than be responsible for starting a group duel or food fight.  
  
In a rare compromise, the Gryffindors ended up spending half the day at the lake and the other half in the common room, and this pattern continued for the next two days as all ten of them overdosed on laziness and got brown sitting in the sun.  
  
Of course, the Gryffindors didn't spend all of their time together. Lily and James, Remus and Kathleen, and Alice and Frank very often detached themselves from the group, cheeks flaming in the face of Dorcas', Morwenna's, Peter's, and, especially, Sirius' teasing.  
  
Of course, even this deterrent wasn't enough to stop Lily and James from going off alone together. They walked through the grounds, played chess and Exploding Snap, or hid together in various deserted places throughout the castle, talking about their holiday plans and hoped-for careers or speculating about their NEWT results.  
  
Even with the question of a possible Quidditch career out of the way, it seemed to Lily like James had something else on his mind. Still, Lily knew better than to press the issue; James was one of the most stubborn people she had ever encountered and he would tell her only when he was good and ready. Besides, Lily wasn't at all sure she wanted anything to interfere with her last days at Hogwarts. She was going to miss school very much when she left it.  
  
At breakfast on Wednesday morning James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus announced their intention of spending the morning in their room "packing." Of course, nobody was fooled for an instant by this; the Marauders always did an end of the year prank, and besides, the others had seen the Marauders in the throes of plotting often enough and knew the signs. Still, everyone played along. Frank obligingly said that he wanted to speak with Professor Flitwick about something and Lily, Alice, Morwenna, Dorcas, and Kathleen declared their intention of going to the lake.  
  
So after breakfast the five Gryffindor witches gathered up a few essentials and departed the empty common room laughing and talking, their footsteps and voices echoing in the deserted corridors. All of them felt more carefree than they had in recent memory; if anything odd was happening around them, they didn't take notice of it.  
  
Bellatrix Black had been sitting in the common room bored, idly burning holes in the upholstery when Rabastan Lestrange burst into the room, out of breath from running. "Well?" Bellatrix looked at him expectantly, impatient for him to catch his breath.  
  
"Meadows and the Mudblood are going out to the lake without your cousin or any of the other Gryffindor wankers," Rabastan reported, grinning.  
  
"Excellent," Bellatrix proclaimed decidedly, getting up. A smile spread across her own face. "Go and get Rosier and Wilkes."  
  
"Prewett, Marchbanks, and Kirkpatrick are with them as well," Rabastan added on a cautious note.  
  
"I expected as much," Bellatris shrugged impatiently. "Try not to hurt them anymore than necessary. We won't be taking them with us; this wee kidnapping will bring enough trouble without them disappearing as well. Go and fetch Rosier and Wilkes, tell them what I've told you." Rabastan nodded and made his way to the stairs.  
  
"Oh, and Rabastan?" he turned to find Bellatrix standing directly behind him, her smile almost glowing in her anticipation. "Make very certain that darling Severus is left out of it, won't you, pet?"  
  
Alice, Lily, Morwenna, Kathleen, and Dorcas sat by the lake, laughing over the time Lily had told James off for picking on Severus Snape after the OWLs in their fifth year.  
  
"'You bullying toerag!'" Alice shrieked in imitation of Lily, shooting a nearby tree trunk a passable imitation of Lily's Prefect Glare of Death. "'I'd rather go out with the giant squid!'" Unable to keep a straight face any longer, Alice collapsed into gales of laughter along with the rest of her friends.  
  
"You were LIVID," Kathleen gasped, clutching her side. "And the look on James' face was priceless! I think he honestly expected you to swoon."  
  
"I've never seen James so upset," Morwenna reminisced, wiping tears of laughter out of her eyes. "He moped about it all that summer."  
  
"And just look at them now," Dorcas teased, sighing theatrically. "Head Boy and Girl, Hogwarts' perfect couple."  
  
"If you'd told me then that I'd be in love with James Potter one day I probably would have brained you," Lily admitted, grinning sheepishly.  
  
"Probably?" Alice had recovered sufficiently to join in the ribbing. "You DEFINITELY would've brained anyone who said that, and then you would've disemboweled James for good measure!" And they all relapsed into hysterical laughter again.  
  
"Having fun, chicks?"  
  
Lily turned slowly, knowing all too well who that voice belonged to. Even if she hadn't, the looks on Alice and Kathleen's faces would've told her.  
  
And of course there was Bellatrix, dressed in a black hooded cloak, smirking as maniacally as ever. What surprised and alarmed Lily was that Rosier, Wilkes, and Rabastan Lestrange were with her, wearing matching cloaks. And that all of them had their wands trained on the Gryffindor girls.  
  
Slowly Lily made her way to her feet, not wanting to give any of them a reason to jinx her. And she didn't think she could go for her wand fast enough. Better to distract them so that somebody else could. "What do you want, Black?"  
  
"You, Mudblood. You and Meadows, that is," Bellatrix's smile was predatory; Lily had no trouble imagining her devouring a gazelle on a nature program.  
  
"Yeah, that's quite likely, Bellatrix, : Dorcas drawled sarcastically. The others had stood up as well and Alice and Dorcas had made their way to Lily's side. "I'm sure with our past history that you want only to invite us somewhere for a spot of tea."  
  
"Tea isn't likely to be offered where we're taking you," Bellatrix turned her smile on Dorcas. "If you come quietly it'll hurt less – at first."  
  
"And why would we go anywhere with you, quietly or otherwise?" Lily quirked a brow, hoping she looked patronizingly amused and not scared witless.  
  
"Because otherwise we'll hurt your mates," Bellatris said in tones of one pointing out the obvious. She moved forward, wand still at the ready. "The pair of you move quietly toward the forest, the rest of you stand where you are. Wilkes will tie you to the tree to make sure that you don't go looking for the big brave boys to come and save your poor ickle friends."  
  
Alice looked disbelievingly at Bellatrix. "NO," she said slowly and clearly, as though she was dealing with someone who was rather simple. She, with Morwenna and Kathleen, stepped in front of Dorcas and Lily, wands drawn. Lily and Dorcas took the opportunity to draw their own wands, and the five of them faced the Slytherins wordlessly.  
  
An odd gleam entered Bellatrix's eyes. "I was very much hoping you'd do that," she said. Suddenly Lily felt herself flying toward Bellatrix as though someone had used a particularly strong Summoning Charm on her. Reacting with Quidditch reflexes, Dorcas reached out and grabbed hold of Lily, pulling with all her strength against the force of the spell. Kathleen reached out to grab hold as well when Lily began to slip. All of a sudden, the unseen force of the spell released its hold on Lily and she fell with the other two girls in a heap, feeling her leg crack beneath her.  
  
Bellatrix chuckled unpleasantly. "Bit hard to run away from mad scary Bellatrix with your leg broken, isn't it, poppet?" she taunted.  
  
"She won't need to run away because we aren't going with you," Dorcas stated firmly as she and Morwenna struggled to get Lily upright. Lightning fast, Alice whipped her wand toward Bellatrix. "Conjunctiva!"  
  
Unfortunately, Alice had been so concerned with speed that her aim left something to be desired. The spell hit Rabastan Lestrange instead and he staggered back, clutching his eye. It hadn't been Bellatrix, but at least her side was one man down. Taking advantage of the momentary chaos, Dorcas Banished Bellatrix into a nearby tree, Lily aimed a Silencing Charm at Rosier and Morwenna and Kathleen simultaneously hit Wilkes with Jelly Legs Jinxes, causing him to wobble twice as much as normal.  
  
Deflecting Lily's spell neatly, Rosier lunged forward and grabbed Morwenna, causing Lily to topple to the ground, and before anyone could stop him, he'd levitated her high above the lake.  
  
"Well done, darling," Bellatrix patted Rosier's cheek in congratulation. A small cut trickled blood down her forehead but she seemed otherwise in good spirits. She pointed her wand at the four remaining Gryffindors. "He'll drop her if you don't come with us quietly right now," Bellatrix addressed Dorcas and Lily casually, as though she were discussing the view of the lake rather than contemplating drowning someone in it.  
  
Lily and Dorcas exchanged glances. "All right," Lily said at last, hobbling forward with Dorcas' support. "We'll lower our wands when you set her safely – "  
  
"- AND gently, - " Dorcas interjected.  
  
"And gently," Lily amended, "on the ground."  
  
"Done and done," Bellatrix smirked and motioned to Rosier, who began to lower Morwenna slowly. But before the process could be completed, the sound of heavy footsteps coming toward the lake froze everyone where they stood. And before Bellatrix could threaten anyone into silence, Kathleen opened her mouth, drew in a deep breath, and screamed like a banshee.  
  
"Eh? Wot's all this?" came Hagrid's familiar and, at that moment, amazingly beautiful voice. "All righ,' Lily? Ye look a bit – " Hagrid gasped as he caught sight of Morwenna suspended over the lake, terrified tears running down her face.  
  
"Right," Hagrid said slowly. He raised the pink umbrella he'd been carrying and leveled it at the Slytherins. "The lot o' ye'll be comin' to th' castle wi' me now."  
  
Bellatrix snorted derisively. "And I'll be damned before I take orders from a filthy half breed," she sneered. "You disgusting....." The rest of Bellatrix's words were obscured by Hagrid's Silencing Charm, and everyone turned their attention from Bellatrix to watch Hagrid lower Morwenna to safety with his pink umbrella.  
  
"Now then," Hagrid said, turning to face the defiant Slytherins, who weren't quite so contemptuous anymore, "Like I said, you lot'll be followin' me to th' castle." He rather ruined the severe authority of this statement by returning the ear-splitting grin Lily was directing at him. He scooped up Lily and led the way, casting occasional wary glances over his shoulder at the Slytherins and the trailing Gryffindor girls, who were clustered round Morwenna.  
  
Inside the castle, Hagrid sent a passing student for the Headmaster, unwilling to leave the Gryffindors and Slytherins alone. Lily leaned against one wall, Kathleen supporting her on one side, the rest of her friends clustered round her and Morwenna, who seemed quite shaken by her experience.  
  
Dumbledore came quite quickly , Professors McGonagall and Astral trailing behind him.  
  
"Here we are again, it seems," Dumbledore said, sounding faintly weary. "Hagrid, would you be so kind as to tell me what you saw?"  
  
As Hagrid launched into his story, Lily did her best to look uncomfortable, shifting her weight and groaning a little. It actually didn't take much in the way of acting; her leg DID hurt and was very probably broken. Nevertheless, she had more important things to worry about.  
  
Glancing uneasily at Lily, Kathleen interrupted the proceedings. "Excuse me, Hagrid, but Professor Dumbledore, may I take Lily to the hospital wing? Her leg's broken," Kathleen accompanied the last statement with a nasty look at Bellatrix.  
  
"Go ahead, Miss Kirkpatrick," Dumbledore gave his permission. "Do you need assistance?"  
  
"We'll be fine," Lily interjected before Kathleen could open her mouth. "It's not so very far."  
  
"Just a moment." Dumbledore quickly conjured a stretcher and helped Lily onto it. "Perhaps you could guide the stretcher, Miss Kirkpatrick, so that it doesn't bump into any walls and jar the leg further."  
  
"Thank you, sir." And they were off, Kathleen steering the floating stretcher up the stairs.  
  
"Help me off this thing," Lily said as soon as they were out of sight. She swung her good leg over the side.  
  
"Are you daft?!" Kathleen was incredulous. "Your leg is broken, Lily! You need to be in hospital!"  
  
Lily waved off this sage advice. "I have something to take care of first."  
  
"Oh no you don't," Kathleen folded her arms, her expression mulish. "I won't help you hurt yourself worse, so you can just lie back down while I take you to Madam Pomfrey."  
  
"Kathleen," Lily said with more patience than she felt, "aren't you just the least bit curious as to WHY Bellatrix, Wilkes, Lestrange, and Rosier were willing to go to considerable inconvenience, watch us for days looking for an opportunity, and even kill Morwenna just to get Dorcas and me to go with them?"  
  
"Of course I am," Kathleen said impatiently, "but I fail to see what you can do about it now that you can't do after you've had your leg fixed."  
  
"D'you remember that night I had to use Floo powder to go to the Ministry?" Lily asked slowly. Kathleen nodded. "Well, I need to go and talk to my source, and I'd just as soon do it while I know Bellatrix and the lot aren't in their common room. But I can't get there by myself." Lily gave her friend her most appealing look.  
  
Kathleen sighed and pulled Lily's arm round her shoulders. "And how exactly, fearless leader, are we going to get into the Slytherin common room once we get there?" she inquired rather nastily.  
  
"I haven't quite worked that out yet," Lily said airily, limping forward.  
  
"I was afraid you were going to say that," Kathleen grumbled. There was a pause as the two girls shifted to find a tolerably comfortable arrangement. "You know something, Lils?" Kathleen said at last.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You spend WAY too much time with James Potter."  
  
Severus Snape hadn't seen Bellatrix, Wilkes, Rosier, or Rabastan Lestrange all afternoon, an observation that made him distinctly uncomfortable. Much as he was attempting to find an alternative explanation, Snape was almost certain that this extended absence meant that they'd done something stupid.  
  
Snape tried waiting for them in the common room, but he quickly grew restless and decided to look for them in the castle; there was a possibility that they could be lurking about Gryffindor Tower. But a thorough search failed to turn them up, so Snape went to the library for a few hours, feeling distinctly uncomfortable.  
  
He still felt a sense of foreboding as he made his way back to the Slytherin dungeons a bit later, knowing that it was possible that Bellatrix and the others had returned but doubting it somehow.  
  
As he rounded the corner to the portrait hole, Snape saw two figures standing before it and for a second hope surged through his veins. That hope turned to ice water halfway through as that unmistakable red hair came into view. It would seem that his premonition of trouble had been correct.  
  
"Evans?" Snape's voice made both Lily and Kathleen jump. "What in Salazar's name are you doing here?"  
  
Lily turned, with Kathleen's help, to face him. "I need to talk to you," she said levelly. "It can't wait." Snape sighed impatiently, glancing nervously round him, but he gestured further down the corridor and strode off without waiting or offering his assistance.  
  
Exchanging irritated glance, Lily and Kathleen made their way more slowly to the potions supply cupboard where Lily and Snape had had their first fateful encounter. The three of them barely fit.  
  
"All right," Snape snapped as soon as the door had been secured, "what's happened?" Quickly Lily gave him an account of her encounter with Bellatrix by the lake, Kathleen interjecting occasionally.  
  
"So I've come to ask you," Lily finished, staring intently at Snape through the gloom, "is what do they want with Dorcas and me? Bellatrix hates me, and I do realize that it's possible that she could've found out about my part in warning the Ministry, but why Dorcas?"  
  
"Bellatrix overheard you and Meadows discussing the incident in the library a few weeks ago," Snape replied crisply, his tone making it perfectly clear what he thought of such reckless behavior. "And she's informed the Dark Lord of her suspicions as well as the others who were involved with the – attack. They all believe that you and Meadows have found a way to spy on them. I would imagine she was attempting to take you to Voldemort for interrogation this afternoon."  
  
Lily shuddered at the implications behind the word "interrogation." "But Dorcas doesn't know anything about any of it," Lily almost whispered. "I've never told her; how could Bellatrix have overheard us talking about it?"  
  
"Maybe Bellatrix only overheard part of your conversation and decided it sounded incriminating," Kathleen ventured timidly. "She wouldn't have had to have heard much; she DOES hate you and she IS – er – "Kathleen glanced uneasily toward Snape "- very probably certifiably insane. She could've decided that you were guilty and somehow convinced everyone else of it too." Snape regarded Kathleen speculatively, wondering if she knew just how close to the truth she was.  
  
A slight noise outside of the cupboard made them all start. As though this had been some sort of signal, Snape disarmed the locking charm on the door. "I've told you all I know," he said abruptly, "and I can't stay longer. Neither can you; Madam Pomfrey should tend to your leg, and you can't afford to be seen here any more than I can."  
  
The three of them, after making certain that the coast was clear, stepped cautiously back into the hall. Snape made one more inspection of the corridor, glancing piercingly in each direction, before speaking again. "Be careful, Evans," he said formally. "Meadows should be too. Both Bellatrix and Voldemort want you dead."  
  
"So what else is new?" Lily quipped dryly. "You be careful too, Severus. And thank you," Lily hesitated, as though considering her words. "You can always come to me or to Dumbledore if circumstances – change." When Snape made no word or gesture in reply, Kathleen and Lily turned to make their way back to the cover of the secret passage.  
  
"What's all this, Severus darling?" Lily and Kathleen turned clumsily to find Bellatrix Black standing next to Snape, wearing an expression of suspicious surprise on her face. "I go to look for you, expecting to find you sulking with your potions, and instead I find that you've reclaimed half my prize for me."  
  
"And I was just about to return it to you, Bellatrix," Snape replied, reaching surreptitiously for his wand.  
  
Bellatrix moved toward Lily and Kathleen. "Thought you'd come to spy a bit more, did you?" she hissed. "And Kirkpatrick's in on it too."  
  
"No," Snape spoke quickly. "I've been – questioning them. Kirkpatrick knows nothing. They claim they were down here looking for Potter and his lot."  
  
A smile curved across Bellatrix's face. "Perhaps she'd better come along, just in case." She reached for Kathleen and shoved Lily toward Snape, who barely caught her, wearing a startled and embarrassed expression Lily might have giggled at in happier circumstances.  
  
"Get your greasy hands off of her, Snivellus!" Lily didn't know whether to cheer or groan when she turned her head and found all four Marauders, wands drawn, staring back at her.  
  
"The gallant Gryffindors!" Bellatrix's eyes gleamed in anticipation of hurting someone.  
  
Sirius strode toward his cousin and grabbed Kathleen from her, then pushed Kathleen in Remus' general direction. "I've been wanting to do this for a long time," he said conversationally, moving his wand into the dueling position. "Most of my life, as a matter of fact."  
  
"The sentiment's mutual, pet," Bellatrix gibed, taking a dueling stance as well. "I'll kill you swiftly for my aunt's sake."  
  
Sirius laughed shortly. "I doubt you have to spare me suffering for her sake. Personally, I have no inhibitions about making you suffer."  
  
James took advantage of Snape's distraction to knock the wand from his hand and help Lily to her feet. He then escorted her over to Peter; Remus and Kathleen seemed a bit busy. "Take Lily to the hospital wing," he ordered his friend. "Sirius and I have things to take care of."  
  
"Yes, General," Lily snorted, giving James a mock salute. "Shall I throw my arms round you and have hysterics now, or wait 'til later?"  
  
James had the grace to blush. "Well, Snape was about to hurt you, and you're hardly in any condition to duel with him yourself," he defended his actions. "You're lucky we saw Alice and Dorcas talking to Dumbledore and got here in time."  
  
Lily rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to throw her shoe at James. "He wasn't hurting me," she whispered, moving away from Peter and giving James a pointed look. But before she could say more, she noticed Snape trying to catch her attention. "Oh, right," Lily said aloud, remembering Snape's cover story. "You slimy little bastard," Lily screamed theatrically at Snape.  
  
"Knock him unconscious," Lily hissed to James.  
  
"Huh? I thought you didn't want me to hurt him," James ran a hand through his hair, thoroughly confused.  
  
"I don't" Lily explained, wondering how her boyfriend could be so thick and still get away with so many pranks. "But it has to look like he struggled, or Bellatrix will know."  
  
"Right," James said, grinning in comprehension and brandishing his wand. "Though I don't think she's in a position to notice much of anything," he nodded toward Sirius and Bellatrix in illustration.  
  
While all of this was happening round them, Sirius and Bellatrix had begun what really did appear to be a duel to the death. Both appeared to have been hit several times by various jinxes, but they were circling each other nonetheless, eyes sharp for any sort of opening.  
  
James had just finished putting a Full Body Bind on a livid, white- faced Snape and was just conjuring ropes for good measure, when a step in the corridor and a cry of "Stop that immediately! Expelliarmus!" alerted them to Professor Astral's presence.  
  
"Seems we'll have to finish this another day, coz," Sirius smirked lopsidedly round a bloodied lip.  
  
Bellatrix's own lips curled into a matching smirk. "I look forward to it."  
  
Compared to the standards they'd grown used to, the next few days passed uneventfully for the Gryffindors. They spent a good deal of their time in Gryffindor Tower, the girls having, understandably, lost their taste for the lake somewhat.  
  
Sirius and Bellatrix each served a night in detention for their duel. Sirius had a strong suspicion that if he'd been dueling with anyone but Bellatrix, Professor McGonagall would've suspended him from the Leaving Feast as well. Still, he wisely refrained from saying a word and served his last detention at Hogwarts cheerfully enough, particularly when James deliberately pissed off Filch and joined him.  
  
After swearing her to secrecy, Lily told Dorcas everything, from her role in thwarting the Ministry attack to Snape's warning in the dungeons. Dorcas took her new status on Voldemort's shit list philosophically enough, her only comment being that she was glad she'd decided to become an Auror rather than a Quidditch player as it'd be too easy to stage a death on a Quidditch pitch.  
  
The seventh years spent their second to last night at Hogwarts at the seventh year dinner Dumbledore held every year as a special opportunity for all of the seventh years to say farewell to each other and to all of their professors and find out who'd been top in each of the classes. Not surprisingly to anyone, James, Sirius, and Lily took top honours in most of the subjects, though Remus was best in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Snape in Potions. James and Sirius were shocked to the point of speechlessness when Professor McGonagall embraced them both gruffly, her eyes suspiciously wet, and turned away clutching a handkerchief. Flabbergasted, they turned to look at each other.  
  
"Tears of joy," Sirius pronounced decidedly. James nodded his emphatic agreement.  
  
Finally it was the last day, and the Gryffindors, after spending the day packing, made their way down to the Leaving Feast. The Great Hall was decorated in red and gold; Gryffindor had won the House Cup for the tenth year running. Once the Great Hall had been filled, Professor Dumbledore stood to make his usual end of the year speech.  
  
"Another year has come and gone," he began, a somber expression in his fathomless blue eyes, "and I hope it has been an educational and memorable one for everyone here. Because the world outside of Hogwarts' walls is uncertain indeed, and the time you have inside the relative safety of these walls is shorter than you may think.  
  
"Some of you have ended your time inside of these wall and will be leaving us to go and take your places in the world. As I have already mentioned, the world outside is an uncertain place these days, and a dangerous one as well. I ask you to remember all that you have learned here, not only in terms of spells and potions, but also in terms of what is right and what is wrong. I ask all of you to live by what you know to be right and to use your extraordinary talents to improve our world rather than for selfish gain or in defense of outdated prejudices. Wizards and witches can live in peace if only everyone could do these things, and I hope that peace can begin with you, the future of wizardkind. Everyone must make choices that define who they will become, and I ask all of you, whether you are leaving Hogwarts or joining us again next year, to choose what is right and not what is easy."  
  
Dumbledore paused again, a twinkle entering his eyes. "That's quite enough out of me; let the feast begin!"  
  
Apparently this was a signal for something other than the beginning of the feast. As soon as the words were out of Dumbledore's mouth, the hall was filled with explosions, smoke, and a dazzling red and gold fireworks display. The candle sconces in the walls began to spurt champagne like fountains, and confetti poured from the ceiling above. The students shrieked and screamed and began catching the champagne in their goblets, most of them grinning from ear to ear.  
  
Brushing confetti out of her hair, Lily glanced over at James, unsuccessfully trying to hide her smile.  
  
"Well, we couldn't leave without saying goodbye, could we?" James asked with his most mischievous smirk, handing Lily a goblet of champagne. "Cheers!"  
  
"Cheers," Lily replied rolling her eyes as she leaned over to kiss James anyway.  
  
The seventh years boarded the Hogwarts Express the next morning bleary-eyed from lack of sleep and too much champagne; the farewell party in the Gryffindor common room had gone on 'til dawn, Professor McGonagall miraculously not seeming to have heard them this time.  
  
They settled in the Head compartment as usual and, after casting sad looks at the retreating castle until it disappeared out of sight, proceeded to sleep for the next few hours, waking in time to catch the trolley just before it moved on down the hall and then settling into a round of Exploding Snap.  
  
Finally the train made its way into King's Cross station and the ten Gryffindors gathered up their belongings and made their way onto Platform 9 ¾.  
  
The Marauders stopped to glance back at the train. "It still seems a shame that we had to leave the Marauder's Map behind," Peter sighed regretfully. James and Remus nodded their agreement.  
  
"I dunno," Sirius said pensively. "I rather like the idea of leaving a legacy for some future generation of worthy troublemakers to knick from Filch. Maybe our kids'll find it some day."  
  
James, Remus, and Peter snorted their derision at this idea and began to make their way through the crowd.  
  
Author's Note: Because some of you seemed to be confused in your reviews, let me remind everyone that THIS IS NOT THE END OF THIS STORY. I'm planning, at this point anyway, to write all the way up until Halloween 1981. My thanks as ever to everyone who reviewed; I love to hear from long- time fans and new ones alike. I really do appreciate you taking the time.  
  
Also, if anyone's interested, Morwenna, Dorcas, and Alice from my story are being featured in another fanfiction.net story. It's called The Time Guardian and the Prophecies and it's by Cecilia Orechio. Only the first chapter of this story is up, and I've read future chapters; it's a really good story. Stop by and read and review it if you have time.  
  
I'm trying to update Priori Incantatem about once a week, just so everyone has a time frame to go by. Thanks again to all my reviewers; hope everyone enjoys! 


	44. The Best Laid Plans

Chapter 43 The Best-Laid Plans  
  
The former Gryffindor seventh years scattered somewhat for the approximate month until they received their NEWT results. Remus returned to Ireland with Kathleen so that he could meet her family, Frank and Alice went on holiday to Italy for ten days and were planning to visit Frank's family in Lancashire when they returned. Dorcas went home to her family in Dorset, and Peter went on holiday to Bath with his mum like they did every year. Morwenna, Sirius, James, and Lily returned to their respective homes in London. Since receiving his unexpected inheritance, Sirius could now afford a flat in London and was in the process of looking for one and nearly always insisted that James accompany him. Since James refused to be separated from Lily for long, she often came too, as did Morwenna, who spent a good bit of time on her own while her granny was busy at the Ministry.  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Evans were clearly delighted to have Lily home again and had surprised her with a new car in honour of her leaving Hogwarts. Lily passed her driving exam a week or so into the holiday and insisted upon driving her new car everywhere. James and Sirius were initially very skeptical about riding in a Muggle car that had no spells on it whatsoever and was driven by Lily as opposed to a Ministry chauffeur, which was the only sort of car they'd encountered up 'til this point. But soon James and Sirius were completely obsessed with cars and driving to the point of reading Muggle car magazines, begging Lily for driving lessons, and devouring such wizard titles as: So You'd Like to Get Around the Muggle Way: Muggle Travel with a Wizarding Twist, Your Muggle Car and You, and 101 Simple Spells for Your Automobile. Sirius even began shopping round for a motorcycle.  
  
Finally Sirius found a flat in Diagon Alley about two weeks into the holiday. He was jubilant and immediately began making plans for when he and James would move in and made it the coolest bachelor flat ever seen by wizardkind.  
  
Lily and her parents went on holiday to France at the end of the week and James and Sirius went to the Potters' country estate. James moped about the house for the first few days 'til Sirius had enough and walloped James with his broomstick. Naturally, a fistfight ensued, and finally James and Sirius emerged, Sirius grinning in spite of his split lip and bloody nose. At least James was back now.  
  
"We're going to have to look into some Unbreakable Charms for the furniture in our flat," Sirius said as he and James righted the table they'd knocked over during the course of their disagreement. "Maybe Lily can help us out with that."  
  
James grunted but made no real reply, his face carefully neutral. Sirius eyed his best mate closely.  
  
"All right," he sighed finally. "Out with it, then."  
  
James fidgeted, running his hands through his hair, before taking a deep breath. "Ahmmmmph," he said, covering his mouth with his hand.  
  
"Wha'?" Sirius cocked his head.  
  
"I said I can't come live with you," James repeated uncomfortably.  
  
"Oh," Sirius replied, fighting for nonchalance. "Well, that's all right, really it is."  
  
"It's not that I don't want to live with you," James explained earnestly. "It's just – well – I'm hoping to live with Lily."  
  
"That might be good," Sirius said kindly, though it was clear he was disappointed. "If you're both really lucky, maybe that sister of hers – what's her name? Begonia? – will disown Lily entirely for living in sin with a wizard." Sirius grinned, but it lacked something somehow. "Have the pair of you found a place yet?"  
  
"Lily doesn't know anything about it yet," James gulped, took a deep breath, and blurted: "I'm going to ask Lily to marry me."  
  
Sirius didn't say a word, he simply fumbled for the chair behind him and sat in it abruptly. "M-Marriage?" Sirius stumbled over the foreign word. "You W-WANT to get M-MARRIED? What brought THIS on? Wait a minute – Lily isn't sprogged up, is she?"  
  
"No!" James exclaimed, glaring.  
  
"Then why?" Sirius was still having trouble grasping such a notion. "I mean, this is so – sudden. We've got our entire lives, why in Merlin's name would you want to get married now?"  
  
"I've been in love with Lily since I was eleven years old, Sirius," James snapped. "Explain to me how this is sudden."  
  
"How can you be so sure that this is the right thing to do?" Sirius pressed the matter.  
  
James sighed and sank into a chair before beginning. "When I was trying to decide between playing Quidditch and being an Auror, I ran into Dumbledore. I asked him what he thought I ought to do, and he said that all anyone could do was choose something that mattered to them and see what happened. So I went back to the dormitory and was lying in bed thinking about everything, about Voldemort and the attacks, and Lily and you and my parents. A lot of wizards lead short lives with everything the way it is now, and I was trying to decide what would make me happiest just in case my life does happen to be a short one. And the first thing that came to my mind was Lily. She's what matters most to me and I want to spend my life with her, however long or short that ends up being."  
  
A long and awkward pause followed James' speech. James stared at his shoes, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. If even Sirius couldn't support him, he didn't care to consider what his parents might say.  
  
"When are you going to ask her?" Sirius asked finally.  
  
"After I get my results," James said a bit defiantly. "I reckon I should have a job at least before I ask her."  
  
Sirius snorted at this but was otherwise silent for another few moments.  
  
"What're you going to say?" Sirius asked, grinning. Relieved, James grinned back, dumb with relief until Sirius repeated his question.  
  
"Oh," James paused thoughtfully. "I have no idea," he admitted in a small voice. At this Sirius got to his feet and pulled James up as well.  
  
"Don't worry about it, mate," Sirius said cheerfully, putting a comforting arm round James and steering him out of the room. "We've got loads of time to work on it."  
  
It was now the middle of July and the former seventh years began to watch anxiously for any sign of owl post. Nearly all of the former Gryffindors had returned from their holidays now in preparation for the job hunt that would take place after the NEWT results arrived.  
  
James was doubly anxious, both for his NEWT results and Lily's return from France. He and Sirius had returned to the Potters' London house and were still working on his proposal speech, Currently, they were on draft # 23, but James still wasn't satisfied.  
  
He woke up early on the morning of the 16th, rather ridiculously excited for Lily's return later that day. James bounded down to the kitchen and narrowly avoided being dive-bombed by a brown owl delivering two envelopes. Recognizing the crests, James snatched the letters from the table.  
  
"Oy! Sirius!" James bellowed with blatant disregard for anyone who might be sleeping. "NEWTs are here!" He waited impatiently until a bleary- eyed Sirius stumbled down the stairs, Mr. and Mrs. Potter on his heels.  
  
"Go on then, boys!" Mrs. Potter urged. Needing no further encouragement, James and Sirius tore simultaneously into their letters, read silently, and swapped over to compare before handing the parchment to Mr. and Mrs. Potter, both wearing identical smug grins.  
Their NEWT results were extremely similar, and, more to the point, extremely good; they'd be able to become Aurors.  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Potter were almost as excited as they were, Mr. Potter clapping the boys on the back and pumping their hands, Mrs. Potter kissing their cheeks, both exclaiming their congratulations all the while. Mrs. Potter than made an enormous celebratory breakfast, and James and Sirius sat round in the kitchen basking in the adulation until it was time for James to go and meet Lily.  
  
James waited on the Evanses' front walk for only a few minutes before their car pulled up and Lily jumped out and hurried toward James. As eager to see Lily as she was to see him, James met her more than halfway and pulled her into an enthusiastic embrace.  
  
Lily looked wonderful; her fair skin was slightly brown from her holiday and her hair was as gloriously red as ever. More importantly than that, Lily appeared more relaxed and happy than James had ever seen her at home; clearly Petunia's absence agreed with her.  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Evans tactfully left them alone after the first half- hour or so, giving Lily and James the much desired chance to catch up. Lily's NEWT results hadn't arrived yet, but she admired James' and listened to him enthuse over them, rolling her eyes only when his ego became overinflated to an unbearable level. Finally, James rose reluctantly to go, having promised his mum that he'd be home for the dinner party his parents were throwing that night. Lily walked him to the door, and after a good fifteen minutes of good-byes, James finally Disapparated.  
  
After watching him go, Lily closed the door behind James and leaned against the wall, a rather bemused grin on her face. This didn't last long, however; the door had barely closed behind James when a large tawny brown owl swooped in through the open window and dropped two envelopes into Lily's hand before perching attentively on the windowsill. Lily flipped the letters over; one had been stamped with the Hogwarts crest. Clearly this contained her NEWT results, but the other bore the Ministry seal. Lily quickly tore into the Hogwarts letter, sighed in relief, and smiled widely. She'd done better than she'd expected to in Astronomy, and she'd received an Outstanding in Charms; her results were more than adequate to apply for the Committee on Experimental Charms. Lily then turned to her Ministry letter more slowly.  
  
"Dear Miss Evans," the letter read.  
  
It has come to my attention that you have performed exceptionally well on your NEWT level exams in general and on the Charms exam in particular. Congratulations on these achievements.  
  
"Therefore, I would like to meet with you to discuss a Charms-related career path. If you would be amenable to that discussion, please send a reply with the owl that delivered this letter. I look forward to meeting you.  
  
"Sincerely,  
  
"Caradoc Dearborn"  
  
Lily glanced over the letter again, considering. It was all rather cryptic, and Merlin knew that it wasn't safe to meet strangers anymore. Still, Lily's curiosity got the better of her and she penned a reply for the owl to take. The owl was off like a shot and returned within the hour carrying another letter, this one naming a specific place and time, the statue on the Atrium level of the Ministry at one o'clock on Monday afternoon.  
  
James, Sirius, Frank, Alice, Dorcas, and Remus, all of whom had received sufficient NEWTs to qualify, were taking Auror entrance exams all day on Monday and had arranged to meet Lily, Morwenna, Kathleen, and Peter at the Leaky Cauldron later. So Lily Flooed into the Ministry for her appointment alone, landing in a dusty heap inside one of the fireplaces.  
  
Coughing and sputtering, Lily didn't notice that anyone was there until a voice said "Miss Evans?" and a hand stretched out to help her up. Still coughing, Lily looked up to find a rather elderly wizard smiling down at her with no little curiosity. She accepted his hand up and stepped from the fireplace. "I'm Caradoc Dearborn," the wizard continued as he ushered her toward the gate where the watchwizard waved them through with a "Good afternoon, Mr. Dearborn."  
  
"So – er – you wanted to speak with me?" Lily ventured at last.  
  
"All in good time," Dearborn replied cryptically. He led the way down the corridor past the lifts and into what appeared to be a small office. Dearborn flicked his wand at the door and muttered an incantation Lily didn't catch under his breath.  
  
"I'm sure you are wondering why all of this – ambiguity – is necessary," Dearborn said knowingly as soon as they were settled.  
  
"Yeah, a bit," Lily admitted.  
  
Dearborn chuckled. "Well, as I mentioned in my letter, I was quite impressed with your NEWT results, particularly your Charms marks. Or more accurately, the examiners who witnessed your exam were impressed enough to bring you to my attention. In fact, they all agreed that in their very long careers – more than one hundred in one case – they'd seen perhaps two wizards whose abilities in Charms equaled yours: Professor Flitwick and Professor Dumbledore. After hearing this, I arranged to see your results, which were every bit as good as the examiners had speculated they would be. Then I spoke with Professor Dumbledore – he's an old friend – and he assured me that you do indeed possess the necessary temperament as well as the skills."  
  
"The temperament and skills for WHAT, exactly?" Lily cut in, highly uncomfortable. The way Dearborn spoke so casually of arranging to see her test results before she herself did and examiners reporting back to him about her was beginning to make her rather suspicious.  
  
"Why, the personality to be an Unspeakable," Dearborn replied mildly as though they were discussing some utterly mundane and non-classified subject. "I am the head of the Department of Mysteries, and we are in dire need of someone of your talents."  
  
"To do what?" Lily eyed Dearborn warily.  
  
"Let me explain," Dearborn waved off Lily's hostility, which, when she thought about it, she supposed he must encounter rather regularly in his line of work. "A team of witches and wizards within the department have been working for some time on various charms to be used in the fight against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. For reasons of secrecy, I can't tell you any more than that. But I know a good deal about you, Lily Evans, besides your NEWT results. You've had some experience with Voldemort and with the Death Eaters yourself, even with the Cruciatus Curse. No one needs to tell you how dangerous and utterly without conscience they are, nor do I need to tell you how powerful that makes them. We need people like you: brilliant at Charms, proficient in Defense Against the Dark Arts with a bit of practical experience in that area as well, and motivated to take part in the fight against Voldemort and his followers," Dearborn paused abruptly. "You may of course walk out of this office right now and never hear from me again," he continued on a different note. "Working for the Department of Mysteries is difficult; we have many secrets to keep. We can't afford to take on anyone who doesn't truly want to be there. You may take some time to consider this proposition, of you like, and contact me at a later date."  
  
Lily sat back in her chair, head whirling with everything that had just been said. She fixed Caradoc Dearborn with an assessing gaze. He had called Voldemort by his name, not the ridiculous You Know Who so many wizards used with increasing frequency. She couldn't exactly say why, but somehow Lily trusted him. And the work he'd described; it sounded as though she was being presented with a chance to make a real difference in the ongoing fight against Voldemort, a chance to protect people like James and her parents and friends doing what she was best at.  
  
"I don't need more time to consider," Lily announced finally. She offered Dearborn a brilliant smile. "When do I start?"  
  
Lily ducked into the Leaky Cauldron a few minutes after five, breathless after hurrying out of the Ministry. She'd spent the rest of the afternoon filling out endless forms, most of which repeated the words "secrecy," "discretion," and "classified material" over and over again. Silly though it was, Lily had almost expected some sort of initiation involving blood oaths and secret handshakes. Instead, a perfectly ordinary- looking witch gave her the forms and a quill and left her to herself to read and sign them before taking her back to Dearborn's office so that he could sign them and explain such mundane things as lunch hours and pension plans. Apparently being an Unspeakable wasn't going to be as glamorous as she'd initially thought.  
  
Still, Lily was excited. The salary was quite good (apparently the Ministry didn't expect secrecy, discretion, and classified materials to come cheap) and the work sounded fascinating. The part that really concerned her was explaining her new career path to her parents and boyfriend.  
  
Late though Lily was, said boyfriend had still not arrived, nor had any of the others sitting for the preliminary Auror exams. Puzzled, Lily made her way over to Morwenna, Kathleen, and Peter, who'd secured a large table in a corner of the pub. By the time they'd exchanged greetings and preliminary questions about the holiday, the pub door had been thrown wide to admit James, Sirius, Remus, and Dorcas.  
  
The foursome staggered in, all of them wearing glazed expressions that had traditionally been reserved only for History of Magic exams.  
  
"That bad, was it?" Morwenna asked, wincing sympathetically as they fell into chairs. Dorcas managed a nod.  
  
"Well, I'm sure you lot did brilliantly anyway," Kathleen comforted her friends as she kissed them all on the cheek with the exception of Remus, who received a much more enthusiastic greeting as he slumped into the seat next to hers.  
  
"What happened to Frank and Alice?" Lily asked, glancing round.  
  
"They said they had something to take care of," James replied. Inspired by Remus and Kathleen, he mustered up the energy to give Lily an equally enthusiastic greeting before slumping exhaustedly in his chair.  
  
Before anyone could speculate about this any further, the door opened yet again to reveal Frank and Alice.  
  
"Sorry we're late," Alice said as they sat down.  
  
"Everything all right?" Morwenna asked, eyeing them narrowly.  
  
"Just a bit of paperwork," Alice shrugged.  
  
"I've never seen anyone look that happy about paperwork," Peter observed.  
  
"What sort of paperwork was it?" Kathleen asked curiously.  
  
"Well," Alice glanced at Frank, who nodded slightly. "We had to hand in a copy of our marriage certificate. Frank and I got married!"  
  
"WHAT?!" Morwennna and Kathleen shrieked simultaneously. In answer, Alice brandished her left hand with a flourish, displaying a shiny ring. The table erupted with noise as everyone began asking questions at once.  
  
Eventually the story came out; they had done it in Italy, Frank and Alice explained, while they were staying at Alice's cousin's summer home in Venice. "The time just felt right," Alice summed up succinctly. They'd planned to get married someday, this way they'd been able to be married with no fuss from either of their families.  
  
"And how are they taking the news?" Morwenna wanted to know. She, James, Sirius, and Lily all winced at the thought of announcing such news to Mrs. Longbottom.  
  
"My brothers are getting used to the idea," Alice replied. "And Frank's family – well –"  
  
"My dad's happy for us," Frank interjected, "and my mum – er – she's getting used to the idea too," he finished lamely. "But she's throwing us a reception next month," he hastened to add. "Everyone's invited, of course." Lily, Dorcas, Morwenna, Remus, Kathleen, and Peter readily agreed, and James and Sirius, after an elbow in the ribs and a filthy look respectively from Lily, agreed as well.  
  
"It's so romantic," Kathleen sighed, leaning back against Remus. "Why don't we elope in Italy?"  
  
"Because we don't have any money," Remus pointed out practically. Kathleen scowled, but before she could say anything, Alice broke in.  
  
"At least the pair of you have a flat," she pointed out. "That's more than Frank and I have. We're staying with my brothers 'til we find a place."  
  
"Which will be soon. REALLY soon," Frank muttered grimly.  
  
"It's not that bad," Alice snapped back. "It's a good bit better than staying with your parents; your mother has got the most grating – "  
  
"Er, you and Kathleen are getting a flat together, Remus?" James interjected hastily before they were all caught in the middle of a marital spat. Truth be told, he felt a bit crestfallen that he wasn't the only one thinking about long-term commitment. In fact, it looked as though he'd have to join the queue.  
  
"You too, Moony?" Sirius was plainly unnerved by all of the committing that was occurring before his very eyes.  
  
"You didn't tell us that," Peter pointed out.  
  
"Well, we just decided," Remus muttered. He flushed a bit but was undeniably happy. He and Kathleen exchanged a glance that caused Sirius to turn away in disgust, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "nauseating" under his breath. He also refrained from touching anyone for the rest of the night, as though fidelity might be catching.  
  
The rest of dinner was spent catching up with everyone's doings over the holiday, more talk of Frank and Alice's wedding and its aftermath, and a description of Remus' meeting with Kathleen's mum, dad, and younger brother and sister (absolute monsters, Remus called them later in private).  
  
As there was so much news that Lily considered to be more important, she decided not to announce her new job to everyone tonight. However, when conversation turned in that direction, she inadvertently blurted it out.  
  
Everyone who'd taken the Auror exams that day spent a good bit of time discussing how difficult they'd been, and Peter, whose NEWTs hadn't been quite good enough to qualify, sulked a bit at this, not looking forward to having to find some other sort of job. Kathleen was looking for work too, and Morwenna was taking some time off to decide what sort of job she wanted to get.  
  
"What about you, Lils?" Dorcas wanted to know. "Have you heard from the Charms committee?"  
  
"No, but I did accept a job offer today." The words just tumbled out of Lily's mouth.  
  
"Really?" James grinned at Lily, taken aback. "Congratulations! What're you going to be doing?"  
  
Might as well finish it, Lily told herself grimly. "I'm going to be working in the Department of Mysteries," she replied.  
  
"WHAT?!" James spat out his drink. "But that's dangerous!"  
  
"This from the person who's planning to become an Auror," Lily shot back. Everyone else at the table was regarding the tabletop quite studiously.  
  
This exchange quickly deteriorated into a somewhat heated argument that finally ended, with Remus and Sirius' help, in an agreement to disagree about career choices.  
  
Despite Lily's announcement, which had cast a decided damper over James' mood, the party continued late into the night. Nobody wanted to go, now that they were out of Hogwarts, they were all well aware that this could be one of the last times they all gathered together like this  
  
James, Sirius, Remus, Dorcas, Alice, and Frank all received the results from their preliminary Auror exams on Wednesday, and all of them, with the exception of Remus, were offered positions and told to report for training on Monday.  
  
Through his dad, James knew that the Ministry was desperate for new Aurors; ever since Crouch's decision to authorize Aurors to use the Unforgivable Curses two years ago, more and more Aurors were being killed in their battles with the Death Eaters. In the past, the Ministry had been so selective about taking on Aurors that it wasn't unusual for a year to go by without them accepting any, but now they took on as many people as possible who had the NEWT marks and could pass the exams. Also, to accommodate the need for new Aurors, Crouch had cut Auror training from three years down to a mere year and a half. The Ministry was losing its fight with Voldemort and his followers, this was the desperate but undeniable truth.  
  
Therefore, the only reason that the Ministry had refused to take on Remus, who had the marks and intelligence to make it as an Auror under normal circumstances, was because of anti-werewolf prejudice. He had to know that this was the reason, everyone did, but James never heard Remus complain. He was nothing but happy for his mates and went about looking for another job very matter of factly. But James was sure that it had to be making him sick on the inside.  
  
Now that he had a job officially, James had decided that the time was ripe to make his move and propose. He and Sirius had gone ring shopping, and after hours of looking, he'd finally found the perfect one. It wasn't as enormous and splashy as James would've liked, but somehow he knew that Lily wouldn't want a ring that was too ostentatious. He still wasn't quite satisfied with his speech, but he asked Lily to go to dinner with him on Saturday anyway, figuring that he had the entire rest of the week to work on it.  
  
And work on it was just about all he did. James saw Lily only twice between Wednesday and Saturday, a new personal low for them, so he could devote more time to rehearsing the speech, deciding what he would wear, polishing the ring, and obsessing over the whole night in general. Sirius was fairly certain that he was going mad, and offered to propose to Lily for him if he'd only shut up about it. However, after witnessing his friend's sorry state, Sirius relented and put up with James' obsessing, relieved beyond measure that he now had his own flat to escape from James in.  
  
Finally, Saturday arrived. James spent much of the day reading over and over the final draft of the speech, even though he'd long ago committed it to memory. Round four o'clock Sirius Apparated over t offer moral support. Remus and Peter, whom James had been forced to let in on the secret after they'd caught him practicing his proposing skills on Sirius, were close behind him, and the four Marauders spent the next four hours coaching, helping, and advising James. Confidence bolstered considerably through his mates' efforts, James Disapparated with a pop for Lily's house at ten to eight, ring stowed safely in his pocket.  
  
Unaware of the significance of the night herself, Lily's Saturday had been much more relaxed. She, Alice, Kathleen, Morwenna, and Dorcas had gone shopping to find something for Alice to wear to her new mother-in-law's reception. Because it was Mrs. Longbottom, it went without saying that the outfit needed to be perfect.  
  
Lily was ready in good time, so when she heard the telltale popping noise outside and the knock on the door, Lily dashed downstairs to open the door herself. "Hi," she greeted, giving James a rather restrained kiss as she wasn't quite sure if anyone was watching them.  
  
"Hi," James replied bemusedly. He looked slightly dazzled for some reason Lily couldn't fathom, and they stood in a rather awkward silence for a moment. "These are for you," James said at last, holding out an enormous bouquet of red roses.  
  
"My favorite," Lily said, offering James a blinding smile that made his stomach wrench. "They're perfect; thank you."  
  
It was exactly the right thing to say; after hearing the word "perfect," James felt distinctly better.  
  
"But of course," he smirked with false arrogance, just to have the pleasure of watching Lily roll her eyes at him. However, she excused herself to store the flowers and say good night to her parents without further comment.  
  
As soon as she left, James took the opportunity to try and get a grip on himself. "Right then, Potter," he muttered, looking in the glass, "if you can survive an encounter with Voldemort, pass an Auror exam, and enchant two thousand Cornish game hens to duel with Hogwarts' student body, you can do a little thing like propose. After all," he told his reflection philosophically, "it can't be any harder than it was to convince her to go out with you."  
  
"Who are you talking to?" James yelped in surprise when he heard Lily's question.  
  
"Just – er – myself," he said in what he hoped was a nonchalant tone. "Let's go, shall we? We don't want to be late." Lily eyed him suspiciously but elected not to comment.  
  
James had elected, after much thought, to take Lily to Camelot, a posh wizarding restaurant in an affluent Muggle neighborhood only a short distance from the Evanses' house. Muggle area or not, Camelot was one of the most popular places for the affluent in the wizarding world to go. When Lily saw where James had taken her she raised her brows higher still but again kept silent.  
  
Finally, they were settled at a secluded corner table, the nearby wall sconces and hovering candles casting dim but flattering light onto their table. In the early stages of his planning, James had thought to wait 'til after dinner to pop the question, but as the time drew nearer, James knew that he wouldn't be able to wait that long. He gulped; this was it. He, James Potter, was about to propose to Lily Evans.  
  
"Lily?" James' voice came out as a whisper. He cleared his throat again.  
  
"Yeah?" Lily glanced up. "Are you all right? You look – "  
  
"Yes, yes, I'm fine," James waved away her concern. "Lily, I – that is – there's something I want to – "  
  
"James! Lily!" Cursing under his breath, James turned to see Frank and Alice coming toward them.  
  
"Hi!" Alice said warmly, kissing each of them on the cheek. "Are you out celebrating your new jobs too?"  
  
"Yes," Lily answered before James could think of some way to signal to Frank and Alice to go away.  
  
"Have you been here before?" Frank asked. The waiter had pulled up chairs for Frank and Alice now, and James would have dearly loved to tear off his head and force-feed it to him, then do the same to Frank and Alice in turn.  
  
The other three talked easily, apparently unaware of James' silence as he tried frantically to think of a way to get them to leave. He had just decided to go and ask the maitre d' to tell Frank and Alice that they had an urgent message when an unusual noise that sounded very much like screaming coming from outside attracted his attention.  
  
"Where is that coming from?" Alice asked. Many of the other diners were glancing about nervously as well. Ignoring good manners for the moment, James strode over to the window and peered outside, Lily, Frank, and Alice following in his wake.  
  
"I can't see – "James began, but he never finished that particular sentence, because just then the windows on the other side of the restaurant broke with a resounding crash, scattering bits of glass over everyone.  
  
"Death Eaters!" a hysterical middle aged witch shrieked, pointing. "The Death Eaters are here!" As if to confirm her words, two masked figures were clearly visible through the broken window. One swept the spectators a mocking bow while the other one simply waved cheerily and smiled before they hurried away. This was all the excuse the restaurant's patrons needed; there was instant pandemonium as everyone struggled toward the exits simultaneously.  
  
"Why are they leaving?" Alice asked as she watched the two Death Eaters go warily.  
  
"Muggles," Lily exclaimed suddenly, jumping up. "They're not attacking the restaurant, they're terrorizing the Muggles in this neighborhood." Face pale, she started determinedly toward the mob by the nearest door.  
  
"Lily! Wait!" James cried after her, panicking a bit at the thought of losing Lily in this crowd with Death Eaters about. "I'm coming with you."  
  
"And so are we," Alice added determinedly, and Frank nodded his agreement. Together, wands drawn, the four of them set out to do what they could to thwart the Death Eaters' attack.  
  
I was wrong, James thought grimly as he pushed his way through the queue and felt the ring heavy in his pocket. Six years of trying to persuade Lily to go out with me hasn't got anything on this.  
  
Having made their way outside, Frank, Alice, Lily, and James sprinted toward the source of the screams.  
  
Yes, James reflected sadly, proposing was turning out to be loads more difficult than he'd planned on.  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Sorry to be so late with the update this week; sometimes, unfortunately, other things have to take precedence over fanfiction, much as I might wish they didn't.  
  
On a happier note, Priori Incantatem has been nominated for a Twisted Colours Fan Fiction Award. There's a link to the site on my author page; it doesn't appear to be the sort of award where you vote, but you can become a judge or nominate something else. I'm really excited to be nominated; thank you to whoever nominated me! I'm flattered. =)  
  
As always, thank you to everyone who reviewed; I have the best readers ever. Hope you enjoy the chapter, and as always, I'd love to hear what you thought. 


	45. The Important Thing

Chapter 44 The Important Thing  
  
Lily raced toward the Death Eaters, James at her heels and Frank and Alice somewhere to her left. She was desperate to put a stop to the Death Eaters' Muggle baiting; her own parents were only a few blocks away.  
  
Everything was in mass confusion around them. The restaurant patrons and employees were streaming out onto the street and Disappparating without regard for any Muggles that might be watching, many of them in the throes of complete panic.  
  
Not that the Muggles had leisure time to wonder about the strange sights all round them. Several were spinning like tops high above the street, plainly terrified. Others attempting to escape were being used as moving targets by the Death Eaters, who laughed and shouted encouragement to each other as the frightened Muggles fell under the influence of various jinxes. And some were writhing on the pavement in the throes of the Cruciatus Curse.  
  
Without hesitation Lily made her way toward a Death Eater tormenting an elderly woman and screamed "Expelliarmus!" at the top of her lungs. The masked wizard's wand flew into Lily's outstretched hand and the Death Eater stumbled. "Run!" Lily urged the woman on the ground, who managed to do so, sobbing her thanks as she went.  
  
Slowly, the now wandless Death Eater turned to face Lily, his hands raised. "I don't know why you expect mercy from other people when it's rather clear that you haven't got any," Lily observed coolly, keeping her wand trained on the wizard in front of her. The Death Eater's grey eyes flashed from behind his mask, but he remained silent. Puzzled by this unprecedented cooperation, Lily got a firmer grip on her wand, staring the masked wizard down.  
  
"Stupefy!" a voice shouted to her right. Lily turned to see another Death Eater, who'd clearly been about to sneak up behind her to come to the grey- eyed Death Eater's aid, now lying Stunned on the ground and James standing over the form, wand raised. Lily offered her boyfriend a relieved smile of thanks before turning back to the wandless Death Eater. Slowly, she held up his wand and very deliberately snapped it in two. Lily then dropped the halves to the ground and blasted them into smaller pieces with her wand before glancing back at the masked wizard to see his grey eyes bright with fury. Before he could react, however, James was there conjuring ropes to tie the Death Eater with. Task accomplished, Lily and James tossed him unceremoniously into a corner and turned together toward the chaos again.  
  
It continued that way for what felt like several hours: Lily and James methodically worked their way through the crowd of Death Eaters together, doing what they could to give the Muggles a chance to escape and incapacitating the Death Eaters in any way possible. Frank and Alice were doing much the same, and it was plain to Lily that they and James would make great Aurors; none of them lost their heads in a crisis and they were all fast enough with brains and wands to stay ahead of the Death Eaters. Lily didn't feel that she herself was quite as good at it as they were. But she was surprised to find that she was able to hold her own. She knew a number of charms and jinxes that were useful and her reflexes were moderately good. Of course, a good bit of it was probably luck, not to mention, Lily thought wryly, her own experience with being attacked.  
  
Unfortunately, their streak of luck didn't last indefinitely. Lily and James were dueling with a masked witch who'd been using the Choking Charm on a pair of Muggles. They had her more or less cornered and Lily was just preparing to Stun her when suddenly James wasn't next to her anymore. He was spinning upside down several feet in the air instead, looking just as astonished as Lily felt while a second Death Eater stood below, taunting James as he spun him faster.  
  
Before Lily could do anything to remedy the situation, something dropped from the sky and walloped her squarely in the head. Rubbing the offended area resentfully, Lily searched the ground and spotted the culprit, a small black box. Realizing that it must have come from James' pocket, Lily tucked the box safely away before attempting to sort out James' safe release.  
  
Said negotiations did not progress favorably at all, particularly when another Death Eater joined in. The arbitration finally culminated in Lily Silencing one Death Eater, putting a Freezing Spell on the other, and accidentally Stunning the third, who just happened to be the one dangling James over the pavement. Needless to say, as soon as the Death Eater dropped to the ground, so did James.  
  
"Impedimenta!" Lily shouted, waving her wand at James' plummeting body frantically. "Impedi – oh, shit!"  
  
It hadn't been an entirely lost cause; James hit the sidewalk with slightly less speed than normal. Nevertheless, his skull landed with a resounding crack.  
  
"James!" Lily shrieked, tripping over the Stunned Death Eater in her haste. When the Silenced one tried to get in her way, she threw him aside and tossed a Full Body Bind at him over her shoulder for good measure before skidding to a halt next to James' prostrate form. "Can you hear me? Oh James, I'm so sorry! This is all my fault! We should've gotten help instead of trying to – James?!"  
  
James blinked rather dazedly up at her, as though trying to work out where he was and who exactly she might be.  
  
"Thank Merlin you're alive!" Lily exclaimed, hugging her boyfriend with blatant disregard for possible broken bones or cracked skulls. "Can you hear me? How many fingers am I holding up? Who Chases for Puddlemere United?"  
  
"I'm ok," James said rather weakly, closing his eyes once more.  
  
"Are you sure?" Lily eyed him keenly.  
  
"You were holding up three fingers and Mullet, Corrigan, and Blitz Chase for Puddlemere," James replied, remarkably smug for someone who'd just taken a swan dive into the pavement.  
  
"Well, your ego seems to be working, at any rate," Lily retorted, grimacing at him. "This fell out of your pocket, by the way." She handed James the black box.  
  
"Thank Merlin you found it!" James exclaimed, snatching the box from Lily and examining it closely. "Don't know what I would've done if it'd gotten lost."  
  
"What is it exactly?" Lily eyed the box warily.  
  
"Er – "James paused to think up a suitable lie until he could find a more romantic moment, but a little voice in his head that seemed to have been jarred free during his fall spoke up. Oh, go on, Potter! You might as well ask her now. If you wait for the perfect romantic moment, you'll be about fifty when you finally make it down the aisle.  
  
"Right," James said aloud. It was decided. Ever so slowly, he began to sit up.  
  
"What are you doing?!" Lily demanded. "You'd better lie down before you fall down." Resolutely, James continued until he was sitting up, then paused for a moment, summoning the energy to make it to his knee.  
  
"Er – James?" Lily regarded him uncertainly. "Is there anything I can – er – help you with?"  
  
"No thanks," James replied politely, carrying on.  
  
"Right," Lily said slowly. It was clear that she thought the fall had scrambled his brains a bit.  
  
Having made it to his knee, James glanced down at Lily. This wasn't right. "Hey, Lily? Would you stand up for a minute, please?"  
  
"Why?" Lily still appeared a bit dubious.  
  
"Could you just do it?" James asked as nicely as possible, not wanting to scream at Lily to bloody well do it before he did fall down at this particular moment. Still skeptical, Lily did as he asked and stood waiting.  
  
Perfect. James clutched the ring box and opened his mouth to begin his speech. Except nothing was coming out because, as he realized a bit belatedly, he couldn't remember a single word of his speech. James closed his eyes and concentrated, but it was no use. He could remember snatches of it, but not enough to go from and he couldn't for the life of him remember whether it began "From the first moment I saw you" or "With as timeless a love as ours."  
  
"Lily – "Oh, sod it, James thought. He couldn't remember the speech and he was beginning to feel just the slightest bit ridiculous. "Lily, I love you," James said finally, opening the box. "Will you marry me?"  
  
"Yes," Lily said without hesitation, her smile dazzling even in the dim light. James stared at her, flip flops overtaking his stomach, mesmerized by Lily's smile and a bit too shocked to fully process what had just happened.  
  
"Are you serious, or are you just humouring me because you think I have a head injury?" James wanted to know.  
  
Lily knelt on the pavement in front of James and held out her left hand in reply. Carefully, James slid the ring onto her hand, both of them beaming as he did so, then leaned in to kiss Lily, fully aware that this, in spite of everything, was the best moment of his life.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------  
Lily and James had only been engaged for a few seconds and neither had had time to process it when Frank and Alice came racing toward them through the crowd, several Death Eaters in hot pursuit.  
  
"We've got to get help," Frank gasped as they approached. "He's – he's here."  
  
"Voldemort," Alice supplied in response to Lily and James' confused expressions. Her robe was badly singed and her face was streaked with soot, as was Frank's. "Voldemort WAS here. We fought him, but he disappeared just now. I don't know where he went, but it can't be good. It can't be anything we'd be able to handle without some help, anyway. We've got to get word to the Ministry. Come on, run!"  
  
Resigned to the fact that he and Lily seemed doomed not to have any romantic moment that did not include mayhem in some form, James gripped Lily's hand and the four of them set off, running as fast as they could for a small alley just ahead where hopefully they'd be able to stand still long enough and concentrate hard enough to Disapparate.  
  
They were nearly there when an ominous popping noise filled the air, announcing the arrival of more people on the scene. James, Lily, Alice, and Frank braced themselves for a fresh wave of Death Eaters, wondering how long they could hold.  
  
"NOW what?" Alice asked no one in particular, eyeing a particularly tall masked figure apprehensively.  
  
"Er –"Lily tried to keep a steady grip on her wand, the waves of terror she'd been staving off all night beginning to encroach on her again.  
  
"Just stay calm and Stun as many as you can," James' voice was unruffled and steady; Lily glanced at him out of the corner of her eye admiringly. "Does everyone have a Shielding Charm up?"  
  
Before anyone could reply or express their irritation at James' stupid question, the space around them began to fill with witches and wizards, all of them brandishing their wands purposefully.  
  
But these people weren't cloaked and masked; they were wearing the sort of robes any witch or wizard might wear to work. They came in all shapes, sizes, and ages, but all of them had the same purposeful expression and steely glint in their eye.  
  
The Aurors had arrived.  
  
Much later, Lily and James Apparated onto the sidewalk in front of the Evans house, both considerably the worse for wear. But they were alive, uninjured, together, and engaged. All in all, Lily and James were feeling rather good about their evening.  
  
It hadn't taken long for the crisis to end after the Aurors appeared on the scene. Most of the Death Eaters had Disapparated immediately, but they'd managed to take a few suspects, who'd been unconscious, wandless, or Silenced, into custody. Then the Department of Magical Catastrophes had arrived to help clean up the mess, placate and Obliviate the Muggles, and take statements from witnesses. Lily, James, Frank, and Alice had been questioned by several of the Aurors, however, all of whom seemed amazed by what they had done and more than a bit pleased that three of them would begin Auror training on Monday.  
  
Lily glanced down at her ring again, reminding herself that it was real. James had actually proposed, for Merlin's sake, and she'd accepted. Not that there'd ever been a question of her accepting him, but marriage in the near future wasn't something she'd given a great deal of thought to. The more she thought about it though, the more she liked the idea. It often didn't seem like it at first, but James really did have excellent timing.  
  
"You're sure you meant to say yes?" James asked for what could very well have been the thousandth time.  
  
"If you ask me that once more, I'm going to kick you," Lily snapped, her patience finally exhausted.  
  
"Sorry," James grinned rather unrepentantly, and Lily smiled back, walking on air again.  
  
"Good Godric!" Lily exclaimed suddenly, a thought occurring to her. "Did you take me to that restaurant tonight to PROPOSE?"  
  
"Yeah," James said, thinking Lily was being a bit thick. Why else did she think he'd taken her to a posh restaurant carrying an engagement ring in his pocket?  
  
"Oh," Lily replied rather lamely, everything that had happened, from Frank and Alice's interruption, to the Death Eater attack to James'close encounter with the pavement, running through her head. "Oh, I'm so sorry."  
  
"It wasn't your fault," James pointed out. "You didn't ASK the Death Eaters to ruin my night."  
  
"But you probably had some grand plan to hide the ring in the pudding or something," Lily seemed genuinely upset. "Then your plans all went to hell, and you probably got a concussion on top of it all."  
  
"Well, it did take me weeks to write the speech," James admitted. "And who hides an engagement ring in the pudding? Someone trying to off their fiancée?"  
  
"It's an old Muggle cliché," Lily waved him off impatiently. "Muggle men hide the ring in the woman's chocolate cake or whatever so she'll be surprised. It's meant to be romantic."  
  
"Yeah, because nothing says love like the Heimlich Maneuver," James snorted.  
  
"So you wrote a speech?" Lily bit back her annoyance at James' sarcasm with an effort. "What happened to it?"  
  
"I – er – I sort of forgot it when I landed on my head," James admitted sheepishly. "I'd memorized it, but Sirius – he helped me write the speech – kept telling me to bring along the written. I should've listened to him, apparently."  
  
"That's all right," Lily consoled, touched at the mental image of James and Sirius working out a way to propose together.  
  
"I could go home and get it," James offered. "I'm not sure I could memorize it again quickly – it's a bit long – but I could read it to you if you like."  
  
"Er, that's ok," Lily said quickly. She might have been touched at the idea of James and Sirius trying to propose, but she had a sneaking suspicion that she wouldn't be able to keep a straight face through the speech. "You did say the important part, after all." Lily held up her ring, grinning broadly.  
  
"Yeah," James replied, returning Lily's smile, "I got the important part right at least."  
  
On Monday morning, James, along with Sirius, Frank, Alice, and Dorcas and a few others, sat fidgeting in a classroom of sorts on the second floor of the Ministry, waiting for their instructor to arrive and their training to begin.  
  
It had definitely been an eventful weekend, James reflected as he rubbed his eyes tiredly. He and Lily had spent the Sunday after their eventful Saturday night breaking the news to their parents, who had taken it rather well and, to Lily and James' mild indignation, hadn't seemed at all surprised about the announcement.  
  
True, James had gotten a "think of marriage the way you would a funnel" lecture from his dad and Lily's father had been a bit quiet after they'd told him and took to staring at James suspiciously for the rest of his visit. But Lily had assured him that Mr. Evans was coming round and James had been frankly relieved by the reappearance of the funnel analogy after the last talk he'd had with his dad.  
  
The sound of the door slamming against the wall jolted James out of his reverie and he glanced up just in time to see a heavily scarred wizard with a wooden leg and a magical eye appear in the doorway. Mad Eye Moody. James and Sirius exchanged a glance.  
  
Moody's good eye skimmed over a piece of parchment he was carrying. "This is the lot of you, then?" he asked no one in particular, his magical eye scanning the room.  
  
"Yes, sir," Frank spoke up.  
  
"H'm," Moody grunted, shooting each of them a last glance. "Right then, I'm Alastor Moody. As a senior Auror, I'll be overseeing your training," he announced, assessing them all before continuing.  
  
"If you've come here thinking that being an Auror is nothing more than playing the white knight to damsels in distress and talking to appreciative reporters about putting Jelly Legs Jinxes on Death Eaters, you might as well leave right now," Moody's voice rang clearly through the room as he stared them all down. Nobody blinked an eye. Moody nodded in grudging satisfaction. "Let's get on with it, then."  
  
James had always considered himself to be in good physical condition after years of playing constant Qudditch. By the end of the day, James had learned just how wrong he was, convinced he couldn't be more physically exhausted. By the end of the week, James realized how big a lie that was as he reached previously unknown levels of fatigue.  
  
That first day, James had stood with all the others in a circle, facing outward toward several Aurors, who stood at various points round the room. At Moody's signal, the Aurors had immediately flung any and all manner of jinxes rapid fire at the trainees, who'd done their best to deflect whatever they could to the best of their abilities. Needless to say, their best was woefully inadequate, and they'd spent the rest of the day brushing up on basic defensive spells and practicing drawing their wands as fast as they could. "The first and most important skill is to be able to defend yourself against people who don't fight fair," Moody intoned over and over again. "Constant vigilance!" He'd finally packed them all off with mountains of reading about Dark magic and spells, Death Eaters, and Voldemort to do for the next day.  
  
The rest of the week continued in this pattern, and James was having distinct difficulty remembering why he'd signed up for this. But every time he had himself convinced that a nice safe desk job would be just as helpful in the fight against Voldemort and a lot less painful, he'd achieve some goal, like getting a slightly higher mark on one of the dozens of exams they took, or knocking Moody on his arse during dueling practice, that would remind him why he'd been willing to give up so much to take this job.  
  
Feeling motivated once again, James gritted his teeth and resolved to make it through this hellish first bit of training if it killed him.  
  
And James was growing more and more convinced daily that it would.  
  
Lily approached her first day of work with loads more apprehension than James had. She arrived at the Atrium to meet a smiling Caradoc Dearborn promptly, wondering what she'd have seen the next time she was in it.  
  
Dearborn made polite small talk with Lily, introducing her to the watch wizard and to any witches or wizards they met in the corridors or lifts. Lily wondered if he'd ever been nervous in his life about anything. He certainly didn't seem like it.  
  
Finally they reached the ninth floor and made their way along the dark hallway to the single door. "The password is 'manticore,'" Dearborn informed Lily quietly, "and it changes every day." Before Lily could think of a reply the door swung open to reveal a circular room with at least a dozen identical doors. "Just to warn you, after regular Ministry operating hours, these doors are enchanted to rotate," Dearborn explained casually. "The idea is to prevent any unexpected visitors trying to steal Ministry secrets from finding what they're looking for and escaping with it. Remind me to show you the necessary spells later."  
  
"Ok," Lily replied in a rather high voice, envisioning herself wandering trapped and lost in the Department of Mysteries all night.  
  
Lily forgot a bit of her nervousness in her fascination when Dearborn gave her a brief tour of some of the less sensitive areas of the department. She was fascinated by an arch with a curtain, behind which voices seemed to be whispering, in the Ambiguous Magical Artifacts Division, and stared wide-eyed at the thousands of prophecies in the Prophecies and Divination Division. They also visited the Provisional Medicine Division, the Intelligence Sector, and the offices, all of the other subdivisions being too classified for outsiders, before Dearborn pushed open yet another door. "And this is the Classified Charms and Spells Division," he informed Lily.  
  
Lily found herself in an immense room, at one end of which was a perfectly ordinary set of cubicles, and at the other a large, open experimentation area with heavily padded walls and floor. A rack against one wall displayed an impressive collection of wands of all lengths and thicknesses. The space between the cubicles and the experimentation area housed enormous bookshelves, crammed full.  
  
Dearborn led the way to the cubicles, Lily trailing behind, and when the witches and wizards saw who was approaching, they stopped what they were doing to cluster round. Lily recognized Gideon Prewett in the crowd.  
  
"This is Lily Evans," Dearborn announced, putting a hand on Lily's shoulder. A slight murmur went through the crowd at this information. "Lily, this is Emmeline Vance, the division head."  
  
"Welcome, Lily," the stately looking witch said, offering Lily her hand and a surprisingly warm smile.  
  
"I'll just leave you to get acquainted," Dearborn said, and, with a parting smile at Lily, he exited.  
  
Quickly, Emmeline Vance introduced Lily to her new colleagues: Tristram Croaker, Jane Bones, Galinda Godricson, Bilius Weasley, Cressida Crandall, and Augustus Rookwood. She already knew Gideon, and most of the others seemed nice enough. But Augustus Rookwood seemed a bit odd to Lily. He was the deputy division head and had been with the Ministry for years, but he just didn't seem quite right; he was a bit too smooth and polished, and he tended to stare at Lily when he thought she didn't notice.  
  
By the end of the week, Lily was ensconced in her own cubicle and was beginning to learn the basics of charm experimentation. Work was a good deal more fun than she'd thought it would be; the others were friendly and there was almost always some sort of interesting experiment going on. It wasn't at all uncommon to hear explosions and smell smoke, or to see one of the department members go flying across the room while others made notes. Bilius Weasley did it so often, however, that by Friday, Lily was a bit concerned for his health, not to mention his head.  
  
Fascinating as she found it, Lily was anxious to leave work on Friday and get to the Leaky Cauldron. She, Alice, Dorcas, Morwenna, Kathleen, and the Marauders had agreed to meet there every Friday for dinner, just to keep in touch. Tonight, however, she and James would be announcing their engagement to their friends – with the exception of Sirius, who already knew and was sworn to secrecy – and Lily was very much hoping that it would be well received. Not that there was any reason to think that it wouldn't be, but since Petunia had burst into hysterical tears when Lily had told her and Mr. Evans had only recently come out of his denial stage, Lily was feeling a bit gun shy about the whole engagement issue.  
  
Finally Lily could go, and she hurried out of the Ministry and Apparated to the Leaky Cauldron as quickly as possible. The others were all sitting already at their usual corner table, those who'd attended Auror training looking asleep where they sat.  
  
".........licking envelopes all day," Peter was saying as Lily approached. "Don't think my tongue will ever be the same." Peter had found a job at the Ministry in the Improper Use of Magic Office. He was a very junior clerk who spent most of his days dispatching warning letters to Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery violators, which depressed him beyond words. So everyone, at Alice's suggestion, had been going to great lengths to appear interested in Peter's job.  
  
"I - er – like to seal envelopes," Dorcas enthused very unconvincingly, stifling a yawn. Sirius snorted derisively. He was having a bit of difficulty getting behind Alice's plan.  
  
"You must feel so useful," Alice said, shooting Sirius a filthy look. "The Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery is a very important law, you know."  
  
"Yeah," Peter sighed modestly, then winced and touched the tip of his tongue gingerly. "Wish it wasn't so hard on my tongue though."  
  
"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" Sirius burst out, goaded beyond endurance. "You're a bloody WIZARD, Wormtail! Do the words 'Sealing Spell' sound familiar or have you been huffing so many glue fumes that you've forgotten your ENTIRE HOGWARTS CAREER?!"  
  
"Oh," Peter said in a small voice.  
  
"Well, that could easily happen to anyone!" Alice exclaimed, kicking Sirius viciously under the table and causing him to yelp. "Everybody forgets – things – sometimes!"  
  
"So THAT'S why that other bloke was sniggering every time he glanced over," Peter said in the tones of someone who'd just solved a particularly perplexing mystery.  
  
"Hi!" Lily said brightly, deciding to create a diversion before Sirius lost control of himself again. "Sorry I'm late." She slid into the chair next to James, leaning in to kiss him.  
  
"What's that?!" Kathleen demanded, snatching Lily's left hand. "Merlin's beard, they're engaged!" she exclaimed, beaming. "Oh, congratulations!" Kathleen gathered Lily into a crushing hug.  
  
Morwenna plucked up Lily's hand. "Very nice," she said approvingly, eyeing the ring with a connoisseur's eye.  
  
"Congratulations, James, Lily," Remus put in.  
  
"This is great news," Peter squeaked.  
  
"Well, it's about bloody time!" Alice grinned.  
  
"Hear, hear!" Dorcas seconded.  
  
"Why is nobody ever surprised when they find out we're getting married?" Lily asked James, her left hand stretched almost to full capacity to allow Alice to get a closer look at the ring.  
  
"Well, it's not really that shocking, when you think about it," James shrugged, clearly basking in the attention. "I've been mad about you for years now and you've finally returned the favor; it seems like the next logical step."  
  
It was another few minutes before the excitement died down sufficiently for James and Lily to tell the tale, with a bit of help from Frank and Alice, of the night they'd gotten engaged. After hearing this story, the rest of the night was interspersed with Sirius' spirited renditions of a concussed James popping the question to Peter, playing the part of Lily.  
  
"Frank and Alice are married, Remus and Kathleen are living together, and we're engaged," Lily summed up to James sometime later during a lull in Sirius' performance. "It's like we're all growing up or something."  
  
"Yeah," Sirius snorted, overhearing Lily's remark. "Peter still hasn't mastered a first year spell and you just got yourself engaged to the bloke you used to reject in favor of the giant squid. Right mature lot this is."  
  
Deciding that they'd suffered through their fair share of ribbing, James and Lily demonstrated the effectiveness of Sealing Spells to Peter and Sirius by sealing their lips shut. Unable to retaliate magically or even verbally, Sirius reverted to the universally understood declaration of war: throwing food. It was quite late by the time the ten former Gryffindors, having alienated all of the Leaky Cauldron's patrons and seriously annoyed Tom the proprietor, finally made their way home, satisfied that they hadn't grown up completely just yet.  
  
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Author's Note:  
  
I'm so excited to have hit the two thousand review mark! Thank you to everyone who has ever reviewed Priori Incantatem, and thank you especially to those of you who review faithfully chapter after chapter. I always look forward to hearing from you. Hang in there, everyone; I do try to update more quickly but it doesn't always work out that way.  
  
Also, I wanted to mention that my story A Sacrifice has been nominated for a Twisted Colours Award as well. So thank you to whoever nominated me!  
  
I dedicate this chapter to Allison; thanks so much for your help with everything =) 


	46. Common Views

Chapter 45 Common Views

The weeks following their engagement proved to be very eventful for both Lily and James. They'd both agreed very early on that they didn't want to wait to get married, and, at Lily's insistence, they'd decided not to have a big wedding. Neither Mrs. Potter nor Mrs. Evans was precisely pleased when they heard that, but both absolutely put their feet down when their children announced their intention of getting married next month. Mrs. Evans thought that they ought to wait and have "a proper wedding" next June, and she and Lily had rows on the subject until they compromised on an October wedding.

Even with October only two months away, Mrs. Evans was still determined to convince her daughter to have a larger wedding and had taken to leaving bridal magazines on Lily's bed and enlisting the help of any and all of Lily's friends to persuade her to change her mind. But Lily, visions of Petunia's pink-swathed fiasco of a wedding still dancing in her head, was adamant, and Mrs. Evans was forced to relent.

And both Lily and James continued to keep busy with their new jobs. James and the others were still in a very intense stage of their training, and Lily was completely immersed in her work for the Classified Charms and Spells Division. Still, both were excited about their wedding date and saw each other nearly every day to plan. James had asked Sirius to be best man, and Lily finally decided, after much debate, to choose Alice as her maid of honour. Both Alice and Sirius were very pleased to be asked; Sirius just accepted the role of best man as his due, and Alice was delighted at the idea of experiencing a wedding, since she hadn't had one of her own.

Kathleen had begun her new job with The Daily Prophet and was finding it a bit less exciting than she'd thought it would be. Instead of writing exciting exposes and gossip pages, she was mostly working on the obituaries, a job that depressed her enormously. Remus still hadn't had any luck finding a job, which made him even more morose than Kathleen. Theirs was not a happy flat, and Sirius strongly advocated sending Peter over to live in quarantine with them so that they wouldn't depress the rest of the population. Of course, he had to make this statement when Alice and Lily weren't around as they tended to shoot him filthy looks (in Lily's case) or kick him in the shins (in Alice's).

On Wednesday afternoon, Lily was at work; she had been in the experimentation area helping to revive Bilius Weasley after yet another partially successful attempt at the Spiraling Spell they were still working the kinks out of and had just returned to her desk when she saw it. A perfectly ordinary and commonplace envelope lying on her desk that bore her name and no other direction. The odd thing about it was that an owl carrying the inter-office post had arrived a short time ago and Lily was certain that this envelope hadn't been in the bunch.

"Jane?" Lily leaned over to address her neighbour. "Did you see an owl drop any post on my desk?"

"No, dear, I didn't," Jane, a kind middle aged witch, replied. "Are you expecting something?"

"No, I was just wondering when this envelope on my desk had come," Lily replied, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. This was beginning to look more and more like a secret admirer, and the last time Lily had had one of those, the whole nasty business had culminated with Gilderoy Lockhart serenading her in the Charms corridor.

Resigned to her fate, Lily tore open the envelope with a feeling of dread then breathed a sigh of relief as she recognized the handwriting. Dumbledore. Thank Merlin it wasn't that git Lockhart or any other git expecting her to swoon because they'd written her an anonymous note.

As she scanned the letter, however, Lily's feeling of relief gave way to curiosity and apprehension.

"Lily – "It read.

"I am writing to you because there is a sensitive and important issue that I wish to discuss with you. Perhaps we could meet this coming Friday evening at ten PM in the Hog's Head Tavern in Hogsmeade. Just inform the bartender that you wish to speak with me and he will be able to direct you.

"I would be very much obliged if you could refrain from mentioning this to anyone.

"Sincerely,

"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore"

Lily read the cryptic message through a second time, and then a third. Why would Dumbledore want to speak to her about a "sensitive and important issue"? It almost sounded as though Dumbledore was in some sort of trouble and if so, what could she, who had always depended upon the Headmaster as a source of all wisdom, possibly do about it? Not that Lily wouldn't do everything in her power to help Dumbledore of course, but said power seemed very week indeed compared to the legendary Headmaster of Hogwarts.

The only thing to do, Lily reasoned, was to wait and see and in the meantime, do as Dumbledore had asked and not say anything to anyone about the letter. But the week dragged by as it never had since she'd come to work in the Department of Mysteries, and by Friday Lily thought she'd go mad before she ever even met with Dumbledore.

Had Lily been a bit less preoccupied with her own concern for Professor Dumbledore and the burning curiosity mixed with dread with which she regarded their coming meeting, she might have noticed that James and the majority of their friends were acting much the same. But nobody said anything to any of the others, and whether they were being discreet or were simply preoccupied was anybody's guess.

The now-weekly Friday night dinner with everyone in The Leaky Cauldron felt like it went on forever, though actually it broke up earlier than usual, and finally at five minutes to ten, Lily Apparated to The Hog's Head's front door.

Rather dodgy place Dumbledore chose for a meeting, Lily reflected as she pushed the heavily scarred door open to reveal a dimly lit and decidedly dingy pub where a lone barman was swiping half-heartedly at the grimy bar with a rag. There were a few extremely questionable-looking patrons in the tavern but no sign of the professor; apparently Dumbledore was running rather late.

Remembering the note's instructions, Lily approached the bar a bit cautiously. "Excuse me, sir?" she inquired hesitantly. The barman looked up, and Lily fancied that there was something rather familiar about his long nose and blue eyes.

"Yeah?" he replied, running an appraising eye from the top of Lily's head to her shoes. She had the feeling that he was a good bit more observant than his irritable expression and ragged appearance implied.

"I'm looking for Albus Dumbledore," Lily almost-whispered, glancing the bartender over with a new respect. "He asked me to meet him here and said that you would be able to tell me where he is."

"Follow me," the barman gestured curtly, putting down his rag and striding off. Lily hastened to follow him, not at all anxious to be alone with the pub's other patrons.

The barman led the way through a back room that was apparently used for storage and stopped in front of a pile of crates that were stacked against the back wall. He flicked his wand and muttered something Lily didn't catch, and the crates swung to one side as though on a hinge, revealing a door. The mysterious barman unlocked the door and turned to Lily. "Straight on down," he grunted, nodding toward a set of stairs. "Just wait there with the others."

"Others?" Lily asked sharply, but the barman was trudging back towards the main room; clearly he wasn't disposed to answer any more questions.

Taking a deep breath, Lily lit her wand and gripped the rickety banister firmly to make her way down the pitch-black stairway, not at all sure what would be waiting for her at the bottom.

It turned out that there was nothing more dramatic than a dim hallway with a wooden door at the end of it. Lily tightened her fingers round her wand and turned the latch, her heart pounding in her ears.

Several dark-cloaked figures sat at round tables placed throughout the rather large, though poorly lit, room, all talking quietly with each other. Several of them turned when she entered but soon turned round again, apparently disappointed.

"Lily?" said a familiar voice, and there was James coming toward her.

"What's going on here?" Lily asked in a low voice, following James back to the table he'd been sitting at.

"I was just about to ask you the same question," James replied, frowning. "None of us seem to know." Lily glanced then at the others seated around the room. Most of them were unknown to her, but Lily could spot a few familiar faces. There was Sturgis Podmore sitting at the table next to James'; Sturgis had graduated two years before them and had been Head Boy in his seventh year as well as James' predecessor as Quidditch Captain. At the table next to his was the red-haired wizard Lily vaguely recognized as the one who'd come to her aid that night she'd gone to warn Dumbledore at the Ministry, and next to him sat a short and rather round red-haired witch. Then there was the Auror Edgar Bones, and across the room sat the Head of the Department of Mysteries himself, Caradoc Dearborn.

"Hello, Lily," he greeted, spotting her. He stood up and made his way over.

"Hi, Mr. Dearborn," Lily responded, startled.

"And you must be James Potter," Dearborn went on, smiling at James. "I've never met you, of course, but you are the very image of your father. I'm Caradoc Dearborn; I work with Miss Evans here."

"Er, nice to meet you," James responded, clearly surprised. He shook hands with Dearborn a bit warily. "Any idea what all of this is about?"

"None whatsoever," Dearborn replied with a little shrug. "Knowing my old friend Albus as I do, it could be absolutely anything."

Before Lily or James could question him further, the door opened again to reveal Emmeline Vance, Lily's boss, and Dearborn excused himself to go and talk to her. Emmeline Vance waved at Lily, who waved back, then she bent her head close to Dearborn's, the two of them in earnest conversation.

"Who's that?" James wanted to know.

"Emmeline Vance," Lily replied. "I work with her too." Before James could comment on the growing number of people in the room that Lily seemed to be acquainted with, the door opened again and Peter walked into the room.

"Peter!" James exclaimed, shocked that Peter had apparently been able to successfully keep a secret. Peter spotted James and hurried over.

"Hi!" he exclaimed in his squeaky little voice, his watery eyes bright and excited. "Isn't this brilliant? It's like some sort of secret club! Why ARE we here, by the way?"

"Er – "before James could think up a suitable response, he was distracted when a vaguely familiar and very male voice called "Lily!" from across the room.

"Gideon!" Lily exclaimed delightedly, looking up as Gideon Prewett crossed the room and took the chair next to hers. "You here too! Don't suppose you have any idea what Dumbledore wants with what seems like half the Ministry?"

Gideon shrugged, shaking his blond hair out of one eye. "Not a clue. I expect we'll find out only when Dumbledore's good and ready to tell us. Oh, but I meant to ask: are you all right after today's – er – incident?"

James' ears perked up. How dare this blond, young, good-looking wizard ask his fiancée if she was all right? How dare he know something about Lily that James didn't?

"Oh, I'm fine," Lily said, waving away Gideon's concern dismissively. "It's Bilius I worry about. That poor man seems to land on his head practically every other day."

"I think he enjoys it," Gideon smiled. "Don't worry on his account. It's you I was concerned about."

Peter shot James a look, clearly convinced that James was about to do something rash, and James was just deciding what rash course of action he ought to take when he was distracted by yet another arrival.

"..........really necessary?" a voice James would have known anywhere grumbled as the door opened yet again and Sirius entered the room, clutching his head and looking thoroughly disgruntled.

"I'm sorry!" Alice said in a tone that suggested that this wasn't the first time she'd apologized. "It was dark in there and I just reacted!" Sirius snorted in derision at this statement.

"Oh, come off it, Sirius," Dorcas grinned as she entered the room behind Alice. "You were screaming as loudly as either of us."

"I was NOT screaming," Sirius corrected them indignantly. "Wizards do NOT scream. I may have – exclaimed in surprise – but I definitely did not scream."

"Call it whatever you like, but you were being awfully loud," Dorcas teased.

"Not to mention shrill," Alice piped up, and she and Dorcas sniggered.

Muttering under his breath about daft witches, Sirius glanced rather pointedly away from his giggling mates and scanned the room until he caught sight of Lily, James, and Peter.

"Oy!" he called, striding over. "Looks like all of us can keep a secret, eh? Even Peter."

"Alice!" Gideon exclaimed, spotting his sister. He jumped out of his chair next to Lily's and hurried toward Alice, and Sirius, after a perceptive glance at James, quickly slipped into Gideon's seat.

Dorcas joined them as well, and everyone compared stories. Alice and Dorcas had found each other in the tavern and had literally bumped into Sirius when they were making their way down the hidden staircase. He'd startled them, and Alice had walloped him with her handbag, which had sent Sirius tumbling the rest of the way down the stairs.

Once everyone, especially Peter and James, had finished laughing at Sirius' expense, Dorcas, Sirius, and Alice, who had joined them by then, admitted that they had no idea why they'd been summoned. Nobody was really surprised when Frank, Morwenna, Kathleen, and Remus all arrived soon after.

And they weren't the only new arrivals. Fifteen minutes later, nearly every seat had been filled and the room was buzzing with avid conversation. James was just beginning to wonder if he'd ever know why he'd been asked here along with half of Dumbledore's acquaintance when the door opened yet again and Professor Dumbledore, followed by Professor McGonagall, Hagrid, Mad Eye Moody, and the barman, entered the room.

Dumbledore was his customary implacable self; he smiled mildly at the roomful of people and made his way to the front. The buzz of conversation, which had reached a fever pitch when Dumbledore had stood in the doorway, died away abruptly as he came to stand in the front of the room.

"I have little doubt that you are all avidly curious to know the reason why I have asked you to meet me here this evening," Dumbledore began, his keen blue eyes making their way slowly round the room. "And why I insisted on such a degree of secrecy. These two questions have only one answer: Lord Voldemort." A ripple of shock made its way around the room; in the past year or so the wizarding world had almost uniformly referred to Voldemort as You Know Who, afraid to speak his name for fear of who might be listening.

"As many of you are aware," Dumbledore continued calmly, completely unperturbed by the sensation he had created, "despite the best efforts of the Ministry of Magic and our excellent Aurors, Voldemort is gaining both power and followers. The number of attacks on Muggles and Muggle borns has increased dramatically in the last year, and the Ministry has virtually no idea who is responsible. To be quite frank, we are losing the fight against Voldemort and his Death Eaters."

Lily shifted in her chair, surprised by Dumbledore's words. This was very unlike the wise, optimistic headmaster she'd known for the last seven years. In the past, Dumbledore had always been counted upon to inspire hope and courage in anyone who listened to him, yet here he was, depressing them all with a starkly bleak version of reality.

"This dire state of affairs, I feel most strongly, cannot be allowed to continue," Dumbledore's tone was no longer quite so bland. "So I asked you here, witches and wizards whom I trust implicitly and know to share my views, to see if we cannot do something about it."

"Wait, Albus," came an elderly voice from the back. "What makes you think that we'll be able to succeed in defeating You Know Who where trained Ministry officials have failed? What precisely are you proposing?"

"I am proposing, Elphias," Dumbledore replied, "to form a secret order, dedicated to bringing about Voldemort's downfall. A very great part of the problem, as I have discussed with many of you, is that the Ministry is limited by its corruption and bureaucracy, its need for diplomacy and concrete evidence. This order will fight Voldemort using unofficial channels, free of bureaucratic process and the need to avoid stepping on important toes. It will seek to discover who Voldemort's followers are, protect those who need protecting, and ultimately to put a stop toVoldemort's reign of terror over the wizarding world.

"I invite all of you present this evening," Dumbledore went on more solemnly, "to join this order, the Order of the Phoenix, as I call it, and help in that fight. But it will not, I warn you, be an easy fight, nor free from danger. Of course, I will take as many precautions as possible: our list of members will be absolutely classified, we will place as many defensive spells as possible on any meeting place and on all of the members. But I cannot guarantee that you will not be forced to give your lives to this cause. The witches and wizards we are fighting have no scruples about injuring and killing; they even take pleasure in it. Each and every one of you has the right to refuse my offer, and I beg you to consider very carefully before agreeing, because there can be no half measure in a conflict of this kind. Consider your lives and families; no one will think the less of you for refusing, least of all myself. But if you feel that you are ready to dedicate your time, your devotion, and possibly even your life in pursuit of peace and prosperity for the wizarding world, then I ask you, and welcome you, to join the Order of the Phoenix."

For an endless moment, the room was absolutely still. Then suddenly, the sound of a single chair scraping back from a table interrupted the silence.

"I'm with you, Professor," James said quietly, standing up. And then witches and wizards all over the room stood slowly as well. None of them said anything, but then none of them needed to. Dumbledore and James had said everything that was necessary.

Lily stifled a yawn as she stood at the front door of the Prewetts' house, waiting for someone to answer her knock. Last night's meeting had gone on late into the night as the new Order of the Phoenix members had begun to plan their campaign.

Lily had never been so proud of anything or anyone in her life as she had been of James as she'd stood next to him last night. She'd slipped her hand into his as she got to her feet, and James had squeezed her hand and smiled at her before they'd both returned their attention to Professor Dumbledore.

James had looked so fearless and so invincible, ready to face anything that Voldemort might be able to throw at him, and glancing round the room, Lily had seen many faces like James,' so young and yet, it had seemed to Lily, so aged. And somehow, looking around the room at them made Lily feel infinitely safer and more frightened at the same time. It wouldn't be anonymous Ministry members who fought Voldemort and the Death Eaters any longer, it would be Lily herself and her friends and classmates, and other witches and wizards that she would come to know. As a Muggle born, Lily felt infinitely safer knowing that she and her parents had the protection of people that she knew and trusted, but on the other hand, it would be endlessly more difficult to lose them in the fight. The idea of losing some of the people who had been in that room – especially James – made Lily feel sick with cold, sweat-inducing terror.

"Lily!" Lily glanced up to see Gideon Prewett standing in the doorway, looking at her rather curiously, and it occurred to Lily to wonder just how long he'd been standing there trying to get her attention. "Have you come to see Alice?"

"Er – hi, Gideon. Yes, I came to help Alice get ready for tomorrow," Lily replied awkwardly.

"Not that you can ever really be ready for someone like Mrs. Longbottom," Gideon observed wryly. He and Lily exchanged a glance of mutual understanding. "Alice is upstairs with Morwenna and Kathleen," he added finally. "I'm just now on my way out, but go on and show yourself up; third door on the left."

"Thanks," Lily replied, smiling at Gideon as she passed him and mounted the stairs.

An odd noise became audible to Lily as she reached the landing, a noise that sounded distinctly like shouting. Hesitantly, Lily started down the corridor; the noise was becoming distinctly louder as she went, and just her luck, it was indeed coming from the third room on the left. Reluctant to walk in on a marital spat, Lily paused outside.

".............being very selfish!" Alice was saying heatedly.

"How can you call me selfish?"

Lily did a double take; instead of fighting with Frank, as Lily had assumed, it appeared that Alice was arguing with Morwenna.

"My parents were MURDERED by these people, Alice!" Morwenna continued, her voice rising passionately, "murdered trying to defend their guests, home, and family from attack, and I won't repay their sacrifice by putting myself or what's left of my family in danger!"

"My parents were murdered too, Morwenna," Alice's voice was flat. "By the same people. That's why I joined the Order; I don't want anyone else's parents to be killed! You know what it feels like to lose your family; how can you sit by and let Voldemort and his Death Eaters have the opportunity to make someone else feel this way?"

"It's not that I don't support the Order," Morwenna sighed, sounding weary. "I've already talked to Dumbledore; I'll pass along any useful information that I hear, and hide people, and give him as much money as he needs. But that's all I'm willing to do."

"And it's not enough!" Alice exclaimed.

"Alice!" Kathleen exclaimed sharply. "Don't say something you'll regret!"

"No! It isn't enough to stop him! You have to be willing to make sacrifices, Morwenna! Stop being so cowardly and do the right thing!"

Lily was utterly shocked; Alice, the sweetest, most compassionate person Lily knew, was railing at Morwenna like some sort of intolerant fanatic. Firmly, Lily knocked on the door; this had gone on long enough, and it certainly sounded as though Kathleen could do with some reinforcements.

"Who is it?" Alice snapped

"It's Lily; may I come in?" Lily replied determinedly. She pushed the door open to reveal Alice, whose face was a brilliant shade of scarlet, facing a white-faced, tight-lipped Morwenna with her fists clenched. Kathleen stood in the middle; she too was a bit pale from the strain of trying to play peacemaker.

Alice sighed deeply. "I suppose you heard all that?"

"Of course I heard," Lily replied baldly. "As did the whole street."

"I think I ought to go," Morwenna said stiffly, moving to gather her things.

'No!" Kathleen and Lily exclaimed in unison. "No one is going anywhere until the pair of you have sorted this thing through," Lily stated flatly.

"AND apologized to each other," Kathleen added menacingly. This statement was met with an ominous silence from the two warring parties.

Lily sighed. "Would anyone care to tell me what exactly all of this is about?"

After a few moments of strained silence, Morwenna finally spoke up. "Alice is angry with me because I didn't sign Dumbledore's member list," she stated flatly.

"I'm angry with Morwenna because she refuses to inconvenience herself to help stop a mad sociopath," Alice returned heatedly, her normally friendly face hostile.

"That's not exactly fair, Alice," Kathleen put in timidly. "I mean, I didn't sign the list either, and it's not because I 'refuse to inconvenience myself.'"

"What?!" Alice began, but Kathleen cut her off before she could go on.

"I didn't sign," Kathleen continued, raising her voice to drown out Alice, "because Dumbledore suggested that I not do it."

Alice and Lily regarded Kathleen with no small bit of astonishment.

"Well, he did," Kathleen defended herself uncomfortably. "He said that as a reporter, I'm bound to come into contact with loads of useful information. But Dumbeldore also said that a news office is also the first place that any suspicious or secretive behaviour would be noticed, and that he thought it would be best for me to pass information to the Order. He seemed to think that being an active member would be too much of a risk."

"I wonder why," Lily mused, glancing over at Alice, who seemed even more surprised by this information than she was.

"He didn't give me a reason," Kathleen replied. "But I think that Dumbledore suspects someone at The Daily Prophet of being a spy for You Know Who."

The three other girls digested this information in silence for a few seconds, nobody wanting to be the first to venture a comment.

"Please try to understand, Alice," Morwenna said finally, her voice a bit desperate. "It's not that I'm not willing to make sacrifices, I'm going to be involved with the Order, and I'll do everything I can to see to it that Voldemort and his Death Eaters don't hurt other people. It's just that I'm not cut out to be some sort of secret agent."

"I know," Alice sighed, and suddenly it seemed as though all of the fight had gone out of her. "I know you want to help, Morwenna, I just - overreacted. Forgive me?"

"Of course," Morwenna squeaked, her eyes suspiciously moist. "You've been under loads of stress with this whole reception thing."

"Yeah," Alice smiled lamely. "Would you lot mind starting without me? I think I need to go and – lie down for a bit."

"Sure," Lily replied. "We'll just go and make ourselves useful." Alice gave Lily, Morwenna, and Kathleen another lame little smile as they filed out, then shut the door behind them.

"I hope she's all right," Morwenna fretted, glancing anxiously back at the closed bedroom door.

"Of course she is," Kathleen soothed. "Once she's had a bit of time to cool off, everything will be back to normal."

"Alice just needs to cool off right now," Lily seconded, but privately she had her doubts about whether things would ever be back to normal again.

Severus Snape needed air. The potion he'd been brewing for the last five hours gave off particularly dizzying fumes, and despite his best efforts, Snape was beginning to feel a bit light-headed.

Deciding that he couldn't go any longer without getting some air, Snape made his way out of the cellar room where he spent the majority of his days brewing potions and climbed the stairs to the ground floor of the house. Snape then opened the kitchen door that led to a rather large walled garden and stepped outside, breathing the fume-free air in deeply.

In the months since he'd left Hogwarts, Snape had spent all of his time here, in one of the Dark Lord's many safe houses, brewing potions and conducting experiments. Officially, Snape was at the Durmstrang Institute in Eastern Europe furthering his Potions studies, but unofficially he was here, dedicating all of his time to helping the Dark Lord toward his ultimate goal: eternal life.

Lord Voldemort spent as much time as he could with Snape and the rest of the Death Eaters lodged in this particular house, talking with them all incessantly about their work and participating in as many experiments as he could. In fact, whenever anything was proven or even only strongly believed to be a step in the right direction, Voldemort would insist upon trying it out for himself. Snape shuddered to recall some of the things his master had willingly done in pursuit of immortality.

Of course, Snape wouldn't stay here forever; in fact, his current project would be his last in this house. Within the next month, Snape would be rejoining the outside world when he "completed his studies at Durmstrang and returned to England." Snape wouldn't be sorry to put an end to this training period. Not that he particularly missed the outside world or anyone in it, but because he was growing increasingly more weary of his companions in the house, and, privately, of the Dark Lord's ever-increasing irrationality. His obsession with disposing of Muggle borns had reached alarming proportions, and these experiments were doing things to the Dark Lord that Snape didn't like at all. Sometimes it seemed to Snape that Voldemort's sanity had slipped away in his quest for immortality and power.

Yes, it would be better to be away from it, Snape reflected, still taking deep breaths. The distance would help him to make sense of things, reconcile himself to the unfamiliar. Snape admitted that he'd been unprepared for the harsh reality of what being a Death Eater actually meant. Seeing his familiar circle of associates and having other concerns in his life once again would help Snape to adapt to his new life.

"Are you coming after all, Severus?" Snape snapped out of his reverie and turned to see Igor Karkaroff, a fellow Death Eater, regarding him questioningly.

"I beg your pardon?" Snape returned coolly, embarrassed that he'd been caught unawares.

"Are you coming to the village tonight after all?" Karkaroff repeated urbanely, watching Snape closely. "Several of us were planning on visiting the Muggle town for a bit of innocent diversion. I have it on good authority that a few giants intend to come as well, so it should be most entertaining."

Snape sighed, struggling to hide his irritation. He could think of few things less appealing than spending an evening baiting the Muggle townsfolk along with a horde of rampaging giants. Still, he knew that Karkaroff and several of the others thought that this was a lack in him and the last thing Snape needed was more Death Eaters questioning his loyalties. He'd never survive another round of doubt.

"Yes," Snape replied finally, seething to himself. "I thought the fresh air and change of pace would be beneficial."

It was almost worth the sacrifice of his evening to Snape just to see the dumbfounded expression on Karkaroff's face. Clearly he'd only been looking for a source of further gossip and hadn't actually expected Snape to agree. "Indeed it would," Karkaroff managed to say. "We leave on the hour."

"I'll go and fetch my mask," Snape replied, turning abruptly and striding back into the house.

Things would improve once his stay in this house was at an end, Snape repeated to himself as he went. In the meantime, he'd try to open himself to new experiences and learn to enjoy these Muggle baiting sessions. They were, after all, bound to form a regular part of his life from now on.

Snape realized just how miraculous his second chance had been, and he did not intend to squander it.

Frank and Alice's reception went off very well for the most part, Lily thought. Nothing exploded, no Death Eaters attacked, and nobody enchanted the entrée to chase the guests. Positively tame compared to most of the wizarding parties Lily had attended.

Lily arrived at precisely 4 PM on Sunday and was directed round to the back of the house where a large queue of witches and wizards was waiting to greet the Longbottoms and pass through into the garden. Apparently no one else had dared to be fashionably late to a party given by Mrs. Longbottom either.

"Lily dear!" Lily looked round to see Mr. and Mrs. Potter waving to her enthusiastically.

"Hi," Lily said as she came up to them and kissed each of their cheeks in greeting. "Where are James and Sirius?"

"They're just coming," Mrs. Potter replied. "They – er – weren't quite ready."

Before Lily could ask Mrs. Potter what she meant, James and Sirius appeared with almost simultaneous pops.

As they exchanged greetings, Lily couldn't help but notice that James and Sirius were a bit more subdued than usual; apparently even they were not unaffected by Mrs. Longbottom.

"Let's get this over with," Sirius muttered to Lily as they approached the receiving line.

"Humph," Mrs. Longbottom snorted at Sirius as though she'd heard him, which, Lily supposed, she could have. "Sirius Black. Some things never change."

"Hello, Mrs. Longbottom," Sirius shot Alice's mother-in-law his most charming grin. "How very lovely to see you again."

"You can save your toadying for someone else, young man," Mrs. Longbottom retorted frostily. "I've already established to whom I'm leaving my money, thank you very much."

Seeing the expression on Sirius' face, Lily very nearly giggled. But as she looked up to find Mrs. Longbottom staring at her, she suddenly didn't feel like laughing anymore.

"And this I suppose is you son's fiancée," she said to Mr. Potter.

James hurriedly stepped in. "Yes, ma'am, this is – "

"I am acquainted with Miss Evans," Mrs. Longbottom cut him off crisply, turning to Lily. "It is nice to see you again, my dear."

"Er – thank you, Mrs. Longbottom," Lily stammered, completely flabbergasted.

"May I present my husband, Mr. Longbottom?" Mrs. Longbottom continued majestically, the vulture atop her hat trembling slightly. "MAGELLAN!" she snapped, nudging the wizard standing next to her none too gently.

By the time they made it through the receiving line, Lily, James, and Sirius felt as though they'd come through a gauntlet unscathed and immediately made their way to a corner table to collapse.

Frank and Alice, along with Peter, Dorcas, and Morwenna, joined them a bit later, all of them ribbing Lily about the apparently lasting impression she'd made upon Mrs. Longbottom.

"'MAGELLAN!'" Sirius exclaimed in imitation of Mrs. Longbottom, "'Come and meet the witch I'm leaving you for!'" Lily's assorted friends, minus Frank and Alice who'd moved on by this time, and James, who seemed unamused, collapsed into giggles.

"Ha bloody ha, you arse," Lily snapped at Sirius.

"Sorry, Lils," Sirius quipped. "I didn't mean to offend you. No worries, though: when Mrs. Longbottom establishes that she's leaving her money to you, I'll be put in my place." This inspired a fresh round of laughter.

"What'd we miss?" Remus asked as he and Kathleen joined them.

"Mrs. Longbottom's great love affair with Lily," Sirius replied before anyone could stop him. "Ouch!" he added as Lily ground her high heel into his foot.

"So where have the pair of you been?" James asked hastily before the situation could escalate.

"I couldn't drag Kathleen away from Alastor Moody," Remus explained. "He was telling her about his Death Eater spies theory."

James, Sirius, and Dorcas all groaned. "What?" Peter asked, looking back and forth between the three of them like a particularly avid observer at a tennis match.

"Mr. Moody has this theory that Death Eaters may have infiltrated the Ministry as spies," Kathleen explained, "and he believes that these spies fit a certain pattern of behaviour."

"It's one of Moody's pet topics," Dorcas cut in. "There's no stopping him once he gets started."

"I thought it was fascinating," Kathleen defended Moody. "And that it made a lot of sense."

But before Kathleen could explain further, Alice came rushing over and skidded to a stop in front of them. "You've got to help me," she gasped. "I was holding Frank's Uncle Algie's toad for him and it leaped out of my hands and into the buffet."

Several hours later, Lily and James Apparated in front of the Evans house, still in their wizarding dress robes. Normally they'd have been more conscientious about such a thing, but both were rather distracted at the moment, laughing over their triumph in averting a crisis.

After Alice's warning, Sirius, James, Lily, Dorcas, Morwenna, Peter, Remus, and Kathleen had immediately made their way to the buffet to conduct a covert search for the missing toad under the guise of wanting more food. James and Sirius had spotted the toad and were so engrossed in cornering it that they hadn't noticed Mrs. Longbottom's approach until she was almost directly behind them. Fortunately, Sirius managed to pluck the toad out of the treacle tart and stuff it into his pocket at the last minute, but Mrs. Longbottom had spotted him and immediately began to tell Sirius off for playing pranks.

"I've never seen Sirius speechless before in my life," James gasped, clutching his sides.

"I think my favourite bit was when Mrs. Longbottom started in on him for trying to 'drag Alice into his childish antics,'" Lily said reminiscently, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

"No, the best part was when she started screeching at Sirius for stealing Uncle Algie's toad," James disagreed, his grin widening. He and Lily immediately relapsed into laughter.

"I suppose we should take this as a lesson for our wedding: no toads allowed anywhere near the buffet," Lily managed to say finally.

"Or better yet, no buffets," James added, experiencing a profound sense of relief that he hadn't eaten any treacle tart.

"It really hasn't been Sirius' week," Lily observed. "First the incident with Alice's handbag, and now this."

"Yeah," James said slowly, a truly Marauder-ish smirk spreading across his face. "Let's go and give him crap about it."

An answering smile spread across Lily's face, and the pair of them Disapparated, once again experiencing an unmistakable meeting of the minds.

Author's Note: Ducks various projectiles thrown by readers I know it's been a really long time since I've updated, and I'm truly sorry it's taken this long. Chalk it up to a combination of technology problems, writer's block, and just being busy........

Anyway, thank you as always to everyone who reviewed; I'm always happy to hear what people like and dislike about Priori Incantatem. Also, thanks to those of you who sent me emails asking me when I was going to update; you helped me to keep this story on my priority list.

For those of you who are interested/didn't know, Cecilia Orechio has reposted The Time Guardian and the Prophecies, which features Morwenna, Alice, and Dorcas from Priori Incantatem. Read and review her story when you get a chance.

Till next time! =)


	47. All the Sense in the World

Chapter 46 All the Sense in the World

James stifled a yawn and did his best not to move any more than necessary as he crouched next to Lily behind a clump of bushes. They'd been on an Order assignment since seven, it was now nearing midnight, and James had just put in a full day of Auror training. All things considered, he was more than ready to go home to bed.

He glanced over at Lily and couldn't help but smile in spite of his discomfort. Despite the fact that she looked nearly as tired and ridiculous as James felt, it was also clear that Lily was in her element. Though he would never in a million years have admitted it, James did realize that the Department of Mysteries suited her.

And so did the Order of the Phoenix. In the two months since Dumbledore had established it, Lily had spent nearly every waking moment not spent working or planning their wedding on assignment for the Order, and of course, James was right there with her, enjoying it just as much as, if not more than, Lily did.

* * *

Or usually he enjoyed it, anyway, but not tonight. Again, James stifled a yawn and shifted as surreptitiously as possible. Crouching in the bushes was uncomfortable, no matter how good the cause.

He and Lily were huddled behind shrubbery shivering in the October night a mere week before their wedding spying on Lucius Malfoy. Because of Remus and Kathleen's experiences at the Marchbanks' New Years' ball, the Order of the Phoenix knew that Lucius Malfoy and his wife Narcissa were Death Eaters, or at least were sympathetic to Voldemort's cause. But Dumbledore, for reasons unknown to the rest of the Order, believed Malfoy to be one of the most significant Death Eaters, and that he would be holding a highly important meeting sometime that evening.

In anticipation of this, Caradoc Dearborn had slipped a Locating Liquid into Malfoy's drink at the Patrons of St Mungo's luncheon earlier that day, and Order members throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening carefully monitored Malfoy's comings and goings. Lily and James' shift had begun at seven PM, and they had spent the first four hours watching their own cup of Locating Liquid, waiting for it to turn red to indicate that Malfoy had left his house.

Finally, round eleven thirty, it had. More than halfway asleep by this time, James had been startled awake by Lily's exclamation and opened his eyes just in time to help her carefully pour a drop of the potion onto a map and watch with her as the crimson liquid had been drawn, as if by a magnet, to Hampstead Heath. Lily and James had exchanged glances; a public park at this time of the night would be perfect for a discreet meeting. After sending an owl to Dumbledore, they'd immediately Apparated to a location about a block away and sneaked up on Malfoy as quietly as possible, praying that he and the people he was meeting wouldn't spot them.

That had been more than half an hour ago; evidently whoever Malfoy had arranged to rendezvous with was late.

Malfoy looked just as impatient as James felt; he paced back and forth in the small secluded area, careful never to walk too close to the main path. He wore a black hooded cloak and his Death Eater's mask; clearly this wasn't intended to be a meeting of equals in public. James wondered for the hundredth time who exactly Malfoy was allegedly meeting and in regards to what. Was he planning on intimidating someone into Voldemort's service, or was this simply a weekly meeting to discuss routine Death Eater business?

Before James' overactive imagination could generate more scenarios, he was interrupted by a resounding pop. James exchanged one more glance with Lily before they both focused every conceivable sense on the approaching figure.

But as the hooded shape drew closer, it took on an ominous familiarity. Lily felt a chill of apprehension run down her spine. Please don't let it be who I think it is, she begged silently. Let it be someone else, anyone else.

But it was indeed the unmistakable form of Lord Voldemort approaching Lucius Malfoy. Carefully, James' hand reached for Lily's hand and held it tightly.

"My lord," Malfoy verged upon the figure and bowed low. "I am, as always, your most humble servant."

"Lucius," the high, cold voice that haunted Lily and James' dreams, as well as the dreams of so many others, insinuated its way into the night air. "You have carried out my instructions?"

"To the letter, my lord," Lucius replied promptly. "Dolohov and Lestrange have made their approaches; I expect responses within the week."

"Excellent," Voldemort replied. "And these approaches were promising?"

"Extremely so, my lord," Malfoy responded, his voice smooth and slick and just a shade too eager. "I have the highest expectations. Shall I tell Bellatrix and Rosier to begin their proposals?"

"Not just yet," Voldemort cut in. "We shall wait to see first how these efforts pan out. Do not become overeager, Lucius."

"No, my lord," Lucius couldn't seem to answer fast enough. "Forgive me."

Voldemort nodded regally, which apparently indicated forgiveness, or at least dismissal. "And how does your young protégé?"

"He appears to be doing well," Malfoy's tone was even more deferential; James wanted desperately to chuck something at him. "He's adjusting."

"I trust it is not necessary to warn you to keep a careful eye on him, Lucius," Voldemort's tone was quietly menacing. "He's too valuable and too precarious for neglect."

"I check on him daily, my lord," Lucius said nervously, "and I have spoken to others who were with him in Cornwall in August. None of them had any concerns, or even any suspicions."

Lily and James exchanged glances; there had been a particularly vicious attack on a Muggle village in Cornwall in August. Several giants had joined the Death Eaters, which was the first time anyone had heard of an alliance between them, and together they had savagely tortured and killed a number of Muggles, as well as two Aurors that had tried to intervene. Who was this person Malfoy and Voldemort were talking about, and why was he of such interest to Voldemort, who considered other people's lives to be worth less than nothing?

"I have spoken to them also." The menacing edge in Voldemort's voice intensified. "Nevertheless, I am trusting you to take care with this task, Lucius. And if I am given any cause for dissatisfaction, you will regret it very deeply."

A shudder passed visibly through Malfoy's body. "You CAN trust me, my lord," he assured his master eagerly. "You can trust me in this matter as you have been able to in all of the other matters I'm involved with."

"The hour grows late," was Voldemort's only response. "You must return before you are missed, or followed. Contact me again as soon as you hear anything."

Malfoy agreed, and, after an obsequious farewell that included much bowing and scraping, Disapparated.

Voldemort glanced round him and raised his wand in what appeared to be preparation for his own Disapparation, but all of a sudden he turned swiftly, cloak swirling, and blasted a fiery hole through the shrubbery.

Lily and James sprang back, managing to avoid the worst of the fire, and got to their feet as quickly as possible, training their wands on the dark figure in front of them.

"I thought I could smell fear," Voldemort cast back his hood and smiled mirthlessly at Lily and James, "and it would appear I was correct." He advanced on them slowly, a panther stalking its prey, his smile growing in anticipation of the kill. The snakelike eyes widened as they rested on Lily's red hair. "The little Mudblood!" he exclaimed softly. "I shall enjoy taking you alive."

"Abicio!" Lily spat, thrusting her arms out in front of her.

Caught off guard, Voldemort staggered back several paces before regaining his balance. "Did Dumbledore never teach you that it isn't nice to push?" he taunted, his high, cold cackle raising every hair on Lily's head. He raised his wand deliberately.

"Necterus!" James said quickly, ropes shooting out of the end of his wand and winding their way around Voldemort. The Dark Lord staggered, but once again managed to keep his footing, and, with a casual flip of his wand, vanished the ropes into thin air. With another wand flick, Voldemort shot a stream of fire into James' chest. James made a strange sound between a gasp and a moan and sank to his knees.

"James!" Lily called his name urgently, not daring to take her eyes or wand off of their enemy but needing to know that he was all right. She wasn't at all encouraged when James couldn't manage to answer her.

"Filo!" Lily shouted without thinking further, bringing her wand sharply into a circular motion. At best, the Spiraling Spell would work and blast Voldemort into the nearest solid surface. At worst, it would blast Lily into one, which on second thought might not be so bad, as it would at least get her further away from Voldemort.

To Lily's utter shock, Voldemort spiraled perfectly backward towards a stone wall with considerable force. "It worked!" she exclaimed, delighted.

Then the bottom of the world dropped out from under her. The worst pain Lily had ever felt, had ever known anyone could feel, swallowed her whole, and she wasn't aware of anything anymore.

James watched, horrified, as Lily writhed on the ground under the direction of Voldemort's wand, her screams piercing the air. Voldemort watched her twist with a detached expression of pleasure on his face, as if he were doing something that he enjoyed but did so frequently that it had ceased to be anything but mildly pleasant.

"Finite!" James shouted, waving his wand wildly at Lily. "Finite!" But nothing happened, and Voldemort looked in his direction, mildly irritated and amused by James' attempt.

"How very like your parents you are, boy," Voldemort observed lightly, glancing down at him with a decided absence of interest. He turned once more to Lily, and the ghost of a smile twisted his mouth.

Frantically, James glanced around him, trying to decide what to do, and as his eyes rested on a large branch a little distance away, James was struck by inspiration. Ignoring the burning pain in his chest, James quickly set the branch on fire, then sent it hurtling toward Voldemort's head with the most forceful spell he could muster.

His aim wasn't completely accurate, but the burning missile did hit Voldemort's torso with some force, knocking him onto the ground and shattering his control over the Cruciatus Curse.

It took Voldemort only seconds to remove the branch and regain his footing, but it was enough time for James to make his way painfully to his feet. Furious now, Voldemort covered the distance separating them in two strides, banishing James with killing force into the wrought iron fence several feet away.

James struck the fence back first, curling into a ball to protect himself, and was on his feet again, reflexes born of years of Quidditch and enhanced by his Auror training telling him to duck yet another curse in the nick of time. His adrenaline pumping, James felt his various injuries a lot less now, and managed to return fire with a few curses of his own, a grim expression of satisfaction passing over his face whenever one of them hit home.

However, James was no match for a wizard who had dedicated his life to learning how to better hurt others. He was deflecting some of the curses, but many of them got past his defenses, and James was tiring quickly.

A body bind caught James unawares, and he lay sprawled upon his back, stiff and helpless, as the Dark Lord advanced, smiling mercilessly.

This is it, then, James thought, staring up at Voldemort hovering over him like the Grim Reaper himself. He drew in a deep breath and tried to think of Lily, wanting her to be his last thought.

Then suddenly Voldemort wasn't above him any longer and James found he could move his limbs. He got to his knees as quickly as possible, wand at the ready, and spied Lily carrying on his duel with Voldemort, crouched behind a tree and hurling all of the curses and hexes in her vast repertoire at the Dark Lord's head.

James ran in a crouch over to Lily's tree, threw himself down beside her, and added his own jinxes into the mix, ducking every so often and pulling Lily down with him when a spell came too close for comfort.

Even with James' excellent reflexes and Lily's knowledge of dueling spells, they were getting hit with some regularity and tiring rapidly. The only comfort was that Voldemort was beginning to weaken as well; he was flinging his spells with less force and frequency than he had been before, not to mention less accuracy.

"We've got to do something," Lily muttered to James. "I can't keep this up for much longer." She landed hard on her back as one of Voldemort's spells penetrated her defenses, as if in illustration of her point.

"Well, I'm open to suggestions," James snapped, dodging a bolt of purple light that zoomed past him and burned a hole in a tree some distance behind them. "Very open, as a matter of fact."

Without warning, the tree they had been ducking behind went up in flames, forcing Lily and James to dive out of the way. James rolled and made it to his feet almost instantly, then glanced wildly round for Lily.

She'd rolled in the opposite direction from James and knelt on the ground, looking dazed. Voldemort approached Lily ever so slowly, wand trained, an unholy smile gracing his face. But before James could act, Lily had cast a Shielding Charm on herself and blasted Voldemort with a bolt of red light.

Both Lily and James held their breath, waiting for the smoke to clear, and when it did, Voldemort was no longer there. James stared in disbelief, but Lily turned slowly round, and James, casting a puzzled glance in her direction, followed her example.

And there was Voldemort, very much alive and barely singed, laughing at their expense. "Your ignorance astounds me. Did you really imagine that your pathetic efforts would be so successful as to kill me?" he mocked. "The greatest wizard who ever lived?"

"That's entirely a matter of opinion," Lily shot back, fists clenched. Voldemort merely chuckled, amused by both Lily's ignorance and her defiance.

"You would make an admirable Death Eater, Mudblood, were you worthy of living," he replied, still entertained. James, deciding that he'd heard and seen quite enough, raised his wand to take advantage of the distraction.

"Stu –" he began, but before he could finish the incantation, the most paralyzing, mind-exploding pain he'd ever known flooded his body and James fell to the ground, body writhing and twisting in the telltale signs of the Cruciatus Curse.

"James!" Lily screamed. "Stop it!" she shrieked at the Dark Lord. "Stop it! Let him go! Filo! Abicio! Finite Incantatem!" Lily stopped, shaking; none of her spells seemed to be hitting their mark.

"I will kill him soon," Voldemort informed her casually. "He will not suffer as you will; take comfort in that."

Overcome with rage, Lily picked up a rock and threw it with all her might at Voldemort's wand. To her utter surprise, the rock did what her spells hadn't been able to and knocked the wand from Voldemort's hand. The Dark Lord uttered a cry of surprise as his wand went spinning off into the brush. "Filo!" Lily exclaimed, using her advantage to send Voldemort spiraling off into space. He landed with a thud against the stone wall again, several of the stones toppling down on top of him

Quickly as she could, Lily reached down to give James a hand up. "It's all right," he said weakly, refusing. "I can do it."

Lily grinned at him relieved, and helped him to his feet regardless. But before either of them could Disapparate, an unseen force pushed them both hard into the ground, face first.

Coughing and sputtering, Lily and James picked themselves up to face Lord Voldemort once again.

"I am through playing games with children," the Dark Lord hissed, livid. He stretched out one hand and his wand flew into it.

Wordlessly, Lily and James moved so that they stood shoulder to shoulder, their wands poised, and stared back at the cloaked figure, not blinking.

Then, all of a sudden, a popping noise filled the air, and Mad Eye Moody, closely followed by Sirius, Remus, Peter, Dorcas, and Dumbledore, Apparated in behind them.

Dumbledore took a step forward, his face grim and set. Voldemort smiled mockingly at his former professor, then disappeared wordlessly in a swirl of black cloak, the resulting impact throwing Lily and James to the ground again.

"James!" James opened his eyes to see Sirius, Remus, and Peter hovering over him, wearing identical expressions of concern.

"I'm all right," he croaked, a shadow of his trademark grin passing over his face. "Lily?"

"Er, I think she's all right," Remus reported, peering somewhere to James' left. "Dorcas and Moody and Dumbledore are with her."

Resolutely, James made his way to his knees, bracing himself against the waves of pain that threatened to topple him over.

"Whoa, Prongs, what are you doing?" Sirius looked alarmed "You'd better lay back down."

Ignoring his best friend, James crawled toward the pool of red hair just visible next to Dorcas' foot. "Lily?" he rasped, voice hoarse from shouting incantations, "Can you hear me?"

"James?" Lily sat up and peered at him from between Dorcas' knees. Moody and Dorcas were forced to move hastily out of the way as Lily scrambled on hands and knees in James' direction and threw herself into James' outstretched arms, ignoring the crowd gathered round them.

Finally, Lily pulled back a bit. "Are you all right?" she asked anxiously, her eyes scanning James for any sign of injuries.

"'All right' is a relative term." James winced as his temporarily forgotten injuries did their best to remind him of their presence. "But yes, I probably am. You?"

"I'll live." Lily grimaced in discomfort and shifted a bit, trying in vain to find a position that didn't hurt.

"Well, that's a relief since the pair of you are getting married in a week and your mums would finish you off if you delayed the wedding." Sirius put in, reminding Lily and James that they had an audience.

"What happened, Potter?" Moody growled, crouching down in front of them. Lily and James exchanged a glance and began to tell their tale, from waiting for Malfoy to leave his house to the cryptic conversation they'd witnessed to their duel with Voldemort.

"'Approaches?"" Dorcas mused, her brow furrowed in confusion. "I wonder what he meant by that."

"And the person that was involved in Cornwall, Malfoy's protégé," Remus put in. "That's the bit I'm curious about."

"What do you think, Albus?" Moody prodded, his magical eye swiveling toward the professor.

"I am very much afraid," Dumbledore spoke softly, his tone thoughtful, "that Lord Voldemort and Mr. Malfoy were discussing their efforts to recruit spies."

"Spies?" Peter squeaked, his voice shrill in his incredulity. "But who would You Know Who get to spy for him?"

"Oh, he'll have his ideas," Moody prophesied darkly, getting to his feet again. "But for now I think we ought to get Potter and Evans here to St Mungo's."

"An excellent idea," Dumbledore replied, gallantly extending a hand to Lily. "We can discuss this matter further when Lily and James are in less acute discomfort."

* * *

And they did indeed discuss the matter later; they discussed it so much, in fact, that Lily and James grew heartily sick of retelling their story. Both were released from St Mungo's the following morning and spent the rest of the day in the Prewetts' attic with most of the other Order of the Phoenix members, going over and over the events of the previous night. This was frustrating on many levels, but mostly because there wasn't anything to be done about Voldemort's latest efforts without more information. Order members were assigned to tail Malfoy, Dolohov, the Lestrange brothers, and Bellatrix Black, but this was easier said than done as they all tended to be rather difficult, not to mention dangerous, to find.

Lily returned home late that night, every part of her aching and weary beyond words, wanting nothing more than to tiptoe up to bed and sleep for the rest of her life. But Lily stopped dead in her tracks in the foyer when she caught sight of her parents sitting side by side in the lounge, plainly waiting up for her.

Lily approached cautiously. "Mum? Dad?" She asked. "Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all, dear," Worry lines crisscrossed Mrs. Evans' face, but she tried to put on a brave face. "What could be wrong?"

"We just wanted to make sure you came home safely," Mr. Evans added, and Lily felt her heart wrench. Even though they were doing their best to deny it, it was plain that Lily's parents were desperately concerned for her. And the tragedy of it was, there was very little she could tell them, between her Department of Mysteries job and the secret Order of the Phoenix. Still, she just couldn't bring herself to trip merrily off to bed and leave them like this.

Slowly, Lily made her way to the sofa facing her parents and sat down. "I can't tell you very much, but I'll give you what information I can," she began. "Go on, then, and fire away."

Lily spent a very uncomfortable day at work the next day. Everyone in the entire Ministry seemed to have heard about Lily and James' brush with Voldemort and everyone Lily knew, along with a good number that she didn't, made a point of congratulating her and pumping her for information about it. Lily answered as best she could, though of course only the Order members knew exactly what had happened and why she'd been in Hampstead Heath at midnight. Even when she made it to the relative seclusion of the Department of Mysteries, Lily wasn't safe; when he heard that Lily had successfully used the Spiraling Spell on Voldemort, Bilius Weasley spent the rest of his workday pestering her about it. By the time five o' clock rolled round, Lily was exceedingly glad that today was her last day of work before her wedding.

It turned out that being home to prepare for her wedding wasn't any more restful than work had been. Mrs. Evans, Mrs. Potter, James, and all of Lily and James' closest friends were constantly underfoot. Still, Lily was glad to have them and to have so many things to do. It took her mind off of other things that were better not to dwell on.

Petunia would not be attending Lily and James' wedding, a fact Lily couldn't help but be grateful for. When Mrs. Evans had told Petunia that the wedding would be in October, Lily's sister had informed her mother that she and Vernon would unfortunately be on holiday in Monte Carlo at that time and wouldn't be able to attend.

Mrs. Evans had been deeply regretful that her elder daughter would miss Lily's wedding, and apologized for it many times to Lily, who just couldn't bring herself to even pretend that she wasn't relieved. Mrs. Potter had at first been inclined to share Mrs. Evans' regret; she'd always felt badly for Petunia ever since she'd heard the story of Petunia's own mad wedding and her unfortunate beard. When she'd caught Lily and James literally jumping up and down with glee after hearing that Petunia definitely wouldn't be coming, she'd been a bit shocked and very reproachful. But Mrs. Potter didn't feel that way for long after she met Petunia and Vernon for herself.

Petunia had come to the house one Sunday to visit her parents and Mrs. Potter, who'd been visiting to discuss wedding details at the time, had answered the door. Seeing a be-robed, obviously freakish figure standing in the foyer of her childhood home had been too much for Petunia, who'd emitted an ear-shattering shriek at the sight and Vernon had begun demanding at the top of his lungs to know what Mrs. Potter had done with Mr. and Mrs. Evans. Unimpressed as she was by this show of hysterics, the real clincher had come for Mrs. Potter when she'd seen the way Petunia and Vernon treated Lily, Vernon suggesting that Lily ought to be locked up and Petunia coldly ignoring her until their parents were out of earshot, when she took the opportunity to hiss "freak!" at her sister. Indignant on her soon-to-be-daughter-in-law's behalf and in the face of such obvious intolerance for the wizarding lifestyle, Mrs. Potter no longer had quite so much sympathy for Petunia and her husband.

The next three days passed by in a blur of dress robes, flowers, and people, and before Lily knew it, it was the night before her wedding. She, Alice, Morwenna, Kathleen, Dorcas, and Marlene were crowded into her bedroom, drinking butterbeer and talking late into the night.

They talked about all sorts of things, but mostly the others took great delight in reminding Lily of all of the various occasions throughout their years at Hogwarts when she had told James off.

"What about when James locked Lily in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express with him?" Morwenna reminisced.

"That's right!" Dorcas exclaimed, grinning. "I'd almost forgotten about that. I think that was the first time I ever saw Lily hex another person on purpose."

"You were livid!" Alice said gleefully to Lily, who scowled. "But that wasn't the first time Lily hexed James, Dorcas; remember in fourth year when James tried to spike Lily's pumpkin juice with a love potion?"

Lily's five friends burst into laughter over that memory while Lily sat glowering at them, hoping that they'd all wet themselves.

"James' ears were shriveled for a week," Kathleen recalled finally, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes.

"Longer than that," Morwenna corrected. "We went home for Easter holidays that Saturday, and James' ears were shriveled almost the whole time. He told his mum and dad that he'd accidentally eaten a shrivelfig."

"He was just lucky that that's the only place I shriveled," Lily put in. "That love potion bit definitely makes my top ten angriest moments list."

"Angry?" Marlene snorted. "You were demented! You threw the pumpkin juice in James' face, walloped him with the goblet, and then shriveled his ears! I felt a bit sorry for him at the time but didn't dare tell you in case you turned on me!" Everyone relapsed into giggles at this, even Lily, who had to admit that it was just a bit funny in retrospect.

"To his credit, James never turned you in," Morwenna pointed out as soon as she'd caught her breath a bit. "He always said things weren't your fault and took the blame for them. I never even heard him complain about his ears."

"It's a bit odd in a way, to think of Lily and James getting married," Dorcas mused aloud, taking a thoughtful sip of butterbeer. "In some ways I'm still expecting James to come swaggering up to Lily and do some completely berk-ish thing to show off."

"And for Lily to shoot James the Prefect Glare of Death and tell him that hell will have frozen over by the time she agrees to go out with him," Kathleen put in.

"It does appear that hell has finally frozen over," Lily admitted a bit sheepishly.

"Hah!" Alice snorted. "The pair of you still do those things."

"We do not!" Lily exclaimed indignantly.

"What about last week when James was bragging to you about winning his duel with Dawlish during Auror training and you told him that if he didn't shut up about it you would force feed him his wand?" Alice demanded.

"Okay, so we do argue a bit sometimes," Lily conceded grudgingly. "But we don't do it very often," she added defensively

"Looks like some things never change," Dorcas observed with a grin.

* * *

Across town in Sirius' flat, the Marauders were doing very much the same thing, except with Ogden's Old Firewhiskey and a lot more impersonations, courtesy of Sirius and Peter.

"My personal favourite was when Sturgis asked Lily to go to Hogsmeade with him when we were in 5th year," Remus recalled, grinning, once Sirius and Peter had wrapped up their encore rendition of James' proposal.

"And James dumped that potion over Sturgis' head!" Sirius exclaimed. "I remember that now! That stuff smelled bloody awful."

"Sturgis STILL doesn't know you did it," Peter put in, chuckling at the memory.

"Bloody good thing too, or he would've killed you," Remus added practically. "It really did smell terrible."

"Yes it did," James agreed innocently. "So terrible, in fact, that Sturgis had to cancel his date with Lily, which was very unfortunate."

The four Marauders subsided into hysterical laughter again, everything made ten times funnier after two bottles of Firewhiskey.

"It still amazes me sometimes that Lily wants to marry you after all the things you put that poor girl through," Remus commented after they had calmed down somewhat.

"What did I ever do to Lily?" James demanded indignantly.

"Let's see....... Humiliating her in public every time you asked her out, accidentally setting her hair on fire that one time in first year, trying to feed her a love potion...." Peter listed, ticking each item off on his fingers.

"Not to mention the train compartment incident," Remus pointed out.

"Or giving her sister a beard," Sirius put in helpfully.

"And what about all of the things Lily did to me?" James inquired. "Calling me names, throwing my flowers out the window, telling me off for hexing people...." James, seeing the expressions on his mates' faces, trailed off. "Well, at least she finally realized that she loved me all along," James said a bit defiantly.

"Sure she did, Prongs," Sirius snorted. All those times when she said 'I hope you die,' what she meant was: 'I love you.'"

* * *

Lily and James' wedding day started off a bit misty in the morning, but fortunately said mist burned off by noon, which was a great relief to James. Stupid as it sounded, he didn't much like the idea of getting married on a drizzly grey day.

The wedding ceremony would take place in a church not far from the house Lily had grown up in in London. Lily loved the ancient, picturesque little chapel, and had always secretly wanted to get married there. Mr. and Mrs. Evans had been enthusiastic about the idea as well; though they'd never said anything to Lily, she knew that they were pleased that at least one aspect of this wedding would be somewhat familiar to them.

The reception was to be held at the Potters' London house after the ceremony. It was, by most standards, going to be a very small wedding, but Lily didn't care. All of the people that really mattered would be there, and neither she nor James cared overmuch about a huge wedding.

Lily dressed for her wedding at her parents' house with the help of her mother, Alice, Morwenna, Kathleen, Dorcas, and Marlene. At first inclined to be emotional, they quickly got over it, taking the opportunity to tease Lily further about marrying James, and (when Mrs. Evans wasn't in hearing) about the spectacularly hideous bridesmaid's dress she was wearing in the pictures of Petunia's wedding, which Mrs. Evans had trotted out for the occasion.

Before she knew it, Lily was riding in a chauffeured car with her parents, on the way to the church to be married. Mrs. Evans dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, and Mr. Evans appeared as though he had a large lump in his throat, but Lily, aside from a few butterflies in the pit of her stomach, was remarkably calm. A good deal more composed than she'd expected to be, Lily admitted to herself. She felt ready to take this step, and Lily couldn't really say she was nervous.

* * *

James, on the other hand, was a bit of a wreck; he spent the time waiting for his wedding to begin pulling at his collar and obsessively checking the clock every few seconds, wondering if Lily was going to realize that she'd agreed to marry him and run away in horror to find the giant squid.

Somehow James made it to the altar and tried to calm himself down by glancing round at all of the people in the church. There were his parents, beaming at him from the front row and Mrs. Evans across the aisle from them. Remus, Kathleen, Peter, and Frank were directly behind James' mum and dad, all smiling encouragingly at him, as were Morwenna and Dorcas from across the aisle, where they were sitting with the McKinnons. Several of Lily and James' fellow Order members were scattered throughout, most notably Professor Dumbledore, who was squeezed into a pew with Hagrid and Professors McGonagall and Flitwick. Catching James' eye, Flitwick waved merrily, Dumbldore's eyes twinkled, and Hagrid and McGonagall, both teary eyed, offered him watery smiles and waved their handkerchiefs in his general direction.

Seeing all of the guests made James even more nervous; this wasn't some sort of dream, it was really happening. He, James Potter, was getting married to Lily Evans. James hoped he didn't look as stunned as he felt.

Next to him, Sirius caught James' eye and smiled, and James smiled back, feeling a bit better. At least he knew Sirius would drag him out of sight if he fainted.

Then the doors opened and Alice walked down the aisle, beaming round at all of the guests and especially at Frank. James nodded to her as she reached the altar, and Alice winked at him as she took her place on the opposite side.

And suddenly there was Lily, and James could feel his heart skip a beat, several beats in fact, as a shock rippled through him, freezing him in place. James held his breath, and felt the whole room holding its breath along with him as Lily made her way down the aisle.

Lily was dimly aware of her feet moving underneath her and of her dad's arm in hers, but all she could see was James, standing there waiting for her, looking stunned and dazzled and not the least bit arrogant, for once in his life. Lily felt a radiant smile stretching her face and saw the answering grin on James' as she continued to move toward him.

Before James was aware that any time had passed, there was Lily standing in front of him. Sirius, rolling his eyes, nudged James none too gently and very pointedly in the shoulder and James hastily held his hand out to Lily, wondering how long he'd been standing there staring. As Lily took his hand, James felt another shock run through him and knew without asking that Lily felt it too.

* * *

Lily smiled at Alice as she finished her toast and stepped aside amidst much applause from the other guests. The gleam of her new ring caught Lily's eye as she set her glass down and she stared at it, reminding herself that it was real and that she and James were really married. It still felt like a dream: the ceremony, exchanging rings and vows, then turning round arm in arm to face the crowd as Mr. and Mrs. Potter, Alice cheering and Sirius laughing as Morwenna snapped a picture. Then the reception in the Potters' ballroom, the dancing and food and congratulations from their small but important crowd of wedding guests...........

Lily snapped out of her reverie as Sirius got to his feet to make his best man toast. Bracing herself for humiliation and ribald jokes, Lily took a firmer grip on the stem of her champagne glass and waited.

"I met James on the train on our way to begin our first year at Hogwarts," Sirius began, "and we've been best friends ever since. We've had many, er – adventures – together," Sirius turned to give James a knowing look, which James returned. "We got into and out of loads of trouble over the years, and I've always been there with James: playing pranks, sneaking into places we had no business being, and helping him pick up the pieces every time Lily rejected him." The crowd laughed, and Lily felt her face go red.

"As most of you know," Sirius continued, grinning, "James has been in love with Lily since the first time he saw her and Lily has hated James with a passion since the first time he opened his mouth in her presence. She hated him so much, in fact, that she would call him names and threaten to castrate him every time he asked her out, which was quite often."

Sirius was forced to stop until the guests' almost-hysterical laughter had died down sufficiently. Lily, now a brilliant shade of scarlet, cast a scathing glare in Sirius' direction and buried her face in her hands, her humiliation complete. James didn't seem to be much better off; he too glared at Sirius and made a valiant effort to disappear under the table.

"But no matter what she said to him," Sirius finally went on, "James kept going back and back again, and I never understood why, especially when there were so many other – er – prospects about."

"You ought to know, Sirius," Alice snorted, causing the room tolaugh again.

"For a long time," Sirius persisted loudly, shooting Alice a nasty glare, "I just thought that James was a glutton for punishment. In fact, I thought that until James somehow convinced Lily to go out with him in our seventh year and I had a chance to see them together. I finally realized then that if you look underneath all of James' strutting and swaggering whenever Lily's around and all of the filthy looks and fury that Lily directs at James, they're actually sort of perfect for each other, and make all the sense in the world.

"So congratulations, James," Sirius said, raising his glass, "on finally getting what you wanted and to you, Lily, on finally having the sense to realize what you wanted. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" the assembled guests echoed, raising their glasses.

"See?" James whispered smugly, leaning over to Lily. "I wasn't being thick all those years, I just realized that we were perfect for each other before you did."

Lily rolled her eyes, and James braced himself for the biting retort he knew was coming, his grin widening in anticipation.

But instead of saying anything, Lily reached out a hand and and ran her fingers through James' perpetually disheveled hair, making it stand on end and causing James to look very much as though he'd just jumped off of a broomstick.

James' jaw dropped. For once in his life, he was utterly speechless. Lily simply turned her attention to Professor Dumbledore as he prepared to make a toast, a very close approximation of James' trademark hellion grin gracing her face.

* * *

Author's Note: There you have it, Lily and James' wedding and their second encounter with Voldemort. Yay for free time and not having writer's block! And as always, thank you to everyone who reviewed )

I don't think I really have anything else to say, which is unusual for me. I'm not exactly sure when the next chapter will be up, but I'm trying to make more time for writing this story. I suppose we'll see how well that actually works out......Anyway, enjoy and review!


	48. Things Unseen

Chapter 47 Things Unseen

February 1979

"What's he doing now?" Alice asked in a whisper, craning her neck to see.

"Dunno," Dorcas whispered back. "But it doesn't look as though it's going well."

"It won't take much longer," Lily said with conviction. "It can't. He's been at it for half an hour already."

"Don't be so sure," James snorted. "He's checking it for jinxes, I expect; he's really nervous of any object that flashes light."

"That and putting his wand in his back pocket," Sirius drawled.

All around Sirius, his fellow Order of the Phoenix members burst into giggles, everyone as aware as Sirius was of that particular quirk of Mad Eye Moody's.

"Black! Potter!" Moody growled, whirling round to shoot James and Sirius a fulminating glare. "Stop causing a ruckus! This is serious!" Reluctantly, the laughter died down and all of the Order members stared fixedly at their feet, trying their best to look shamefaced while actually hiding their laughter from Moody's attention.

"Now then," Moody went on, satisfied that he had at least temporarily put a stop to any dissention in the ranks, "we're ready, so let's take this picture."

Immediately the Order members sprang to action, trying to arrange the grouping to everyone's satisfaction.

"Frank? Where are you?" Alice called.

"Here, next to Marlene!" Frank shouted back, and Alice scurried over to join her spouse.

"You MUST be in front, Albus," Emmeline Vance said firmly, drawing Dumbledore to the fore of the crowd.

"Ouch! You stood on my foot!" Dedalus Diggle exclaimed.

The Order of the Phoenix had gathered in the Hog's Head's secret room once again for an all-members meeting to update each other on individual progress and to celebrate their most recent victory: preventing several Death Eaters from attacking Muggle borns and their families. Consequently, the Order members were in high spirits, laughing and talking and congratulating everyone who'd been involved in the encounter.

Peter Pettigrew stood a short distance away, watching the cheerful huddle of Order members arrange themselves for a team photo, studying their faces with uncharacteristic solemnity.

"Peter!" noticing his absence, Lily called out Peter's name, breaking him out of his reverie. "Come on! We're about to take the picture!" She stretched out an arm and beckoned to him, her green eyes warm as she smiled. Slowly, Peter made his way over to her and let himself be drawn in between Lily and James at the back of the group, smiling and responding automatically to the jokes and tittering all around him.

Peter had long ago learned to hide what he felt and saw behind outward good humour, but today he felt more than a bit nauseous underneath it all. How would Lily or James or any of his mates react if they knew what he was going to do after the meeting? It was a rhetorical question; he knew very well what they'd do: recoil in horror, take their arms from round his shoulders, and hurl hexes and insults at him instead of jokes.

Unable to stop himself, Peter shivered slightly. James and Sirius were laughing over something, but Lily glanced at him curiously. Peter gave her a bright smile, which she returned, then he turned toward James and Sirius again, pretending to pay attention to them.

It was easier than he'd imagined it would be, to pretend and to hide things. But then, Peter had always been good at hiding; he was used to being overlooked. When he'd used to play Hide and Seek as a child, none of the others had ever been able to find him. And later, at Hogwarts, Peter had roamed the corridors and common rooms freely in his rat form, able to see and hear things the others didn't. His prowess at spying and secrets had always come in very handy in playing practical jokes.

It had always given Peter a sense of power to be able to do these things, to be the one who was the best at something. He may not have snogged with many girls, but he'd watched practically every couple in the school at one time or another, including James, Remus, and Sirius with their assorted girlfriends. He might not have been the cleverest one in every lesson, but Peter knew how to follow someone without their noticing and how to conceal what he knew. Peter may not have had the guts or the dueling skills to challenge the Slytherins openly, but he knew what they said and did in the privacy of their dorms and common room..........

Peter gave himself a mental shake; he didn't want to think about that. Not when it was that that had gotten him into trouble in the first place.

"It's time!" Mad Eye Moody called everyone to attention. "Three....Two....One!" A flash momentarily lit the room, illuminating all of the faces present as they were preserved for posterity.

Then the moment was gone as the Order members began to move and speak again, calling farewells to each other as they prepared to leave.

"Oy! Wormtail!" Sirius shouted over the din. "We're off to the Three Broomsticks; you coming, then?"

"Nah," Peter replied, his tone reluctant. "I'd best be getting home. Mum got a bit shirty with me for coming in so late the other night."

Sirius snorted, his face making his opinion of Mrs Pettigrew plain, but surprisingly he refrained from comment. "See you at the office then, Peter," Alice called, giving him a little wave as she took Frank's hand. "Bye!"

"Bye," Peter echoed as his friends clomped up the stairs ahead of him, their voices floating back to him as they went.

He turned hastily to collect his own cloak, one of the few left in the room now. This accomplished, Peter gave a little wave of farewell to the other remaining Order members and made his own way up the stairs, hoping that his knees wouldn't give out on him as he went.

* * *

Peter was in two minds about what he was about to do. On the one hand, the fear and guilt seemed to be tearing his guts out, and part of Peter wanted to go and confess his sins to James, Sirius, and Remus and ask them for forgiveness, to explain his terrifying dilemma to Professor Dumbledore and beg him for his protection. That part of Peter screamed at him that anything was better than turning traitor against everything he'd ever known and the friends who had helped, included, and protected him for so many years.

But another part of Peter found it all thrilling: the hiding and lying and sneaking around. It was fun to know things that, for once, James, Sirius, and Remus didn't, to have new and thrilling adventures that were all his own and to hide them from the others, to pretend that he was the same old dull Peter, with his boring job and bad-tempered mother.

The others didn't know that the old Peter Pettigrew had died and would never come back, and that the new Peter was anything but dull; he lived the exciting double life of a spy, and straddled the line between the two sides in this war. For once in Peter's life he was in demand, and he loved it.

It was all easy enough when he was going about his normal life or when he was meeting with the Death Eaters; then the two sides were separate, they didn't meet or affect each other. But when Peter tried to reconcile these two sides of himself, when he'd had to pretend to all of his friends like he had tonight, there was a pounding in his temples and he could feel the nausea in his stomach, because, deep down, Peter knew which side was going to win. He might think about doing the noble thing, refusing to spy anymore and allowing them to kill him, but the simple truth was, Peter didn't want to die. And, if he was being honest, he didn't really want to give the spying up either.

Now outside, Peter Disapparated just a bit too quickly, narrowly avoiding being Splinched, and arrived at his destination feeling a bit stiff and odd. Disregarding that, Peter began to hurry, the part of him that was eager taking over the rest of him. Softly, he raised the serpent-shaped knocker and rapped the signal on the door. It opened of its own volition, revealing an entrance hall bedecked with family portraits and various Dark paraphernalia. Peter glanced round him with interest; he'd never been in Sirius' old home. At the thought of Sirius, Peter felt stirrings of his old guilt and firmly pushed his friend's image from his head.

A wizard moved toward him, not Regulus Black, Peter was relieved to note, and beckoned him wordlessly on. Peter followed the unknown figure to a room in the back of the house. When Peter raised his fist to knock on the door, it swung open on a darkened, shadow-filled room, the fire providing the only source of light.

Hands shaking, Peter wiped the sweat from his forehead and reminded himself to breathe as he stepped forward.

"Well, Pettigrew?" came the high, cold voice.

"I-I h-have it, m-m-my l-lord," Peter managed, his voice squeaking badly. At this information, a clawlike hand, so white that it almost glowed in the semi darkness, stretched out of the shadows toward him, clearly waiting for Peter to deposit parchment in it.

"I-I didn't write it d-down, my lord," Peter got out quickly, terrified. "I-I didn't want anyone to find me with it. I memorized it, though; I can write it now for you if you want me to, I swear I can –"

"Very good, Pettigrew," the reply came, sounding slightly amused. "You may prove to not be completely hopeless, after all. You may tell me the names now."

"Thank you, my lord," Peter said, his heart soaring at the praise. He drew in a deep breath. "There's Dumbledore, of course, and Mad Eye Moody............."

* * *

The months that had passed since Lily and James' marriage had been eventful ones. On top of James' Auror training, Lily's job, and Order business, they'd had to become accustomed to being married, which was a lot of fun and unexpectedly challenging all at once.

After their wedding, Lily and James had gone away for a long weekend, all the time James could take from Auror training, and had moved into a flat in London when they returned. The flat, a wedding gift from Mr and Mrs Evans, wasn't far from Sirius's, and both Lily and James had been very glad to have it, relieved that they wouldn't have to live with family like Frank and Alice were still doing. Lily, fond as she was of her new mother and father in law, was also a bit intimidated by them and James was profoundly relieved that he wouldn't have to live in a house where the threat of a possible visit from Petunia and her elephant of a husband would loom over his head on a daily basis.

Things had started out blissfully for Lily and James; neither of them knew how to cook or clean, and they'd spent a hilarious couple of weeks learning household spells by trial and error. One particularly eventful evening had found them chasing a loudly squealing pig round their flat after James had accidentally Conjured it instead of the ham he'd been attempting to produce for dinner.

And for the first few weeks, both Lily and James had been on their best behaviour, careful not to make a mess or provoke the other. However, after several weeks of this, the good manners had finally worn off as both of them fell back into their normal daily routines. And as these routines became established, both Lily and James found each other's habits irritating. Very irritating.

"And she leaves hair in the sink," James added another point to the growing list of Lily's irksome qualities he was relating to Sirius, Remus, and Peter.

"Everybody does that," Peter shrugged.

"But this is a LOT of hair," James interjected passionately. "A LOT. And it's all long and red – I'm surprised there's any hair left on her head, the rate she's shedding at."

"I really don't think she can help –"Remus began, but James cut him off as another thought occurred to him.

"Oh, and she puts her cold feet on me in bed," James ticked off another point. "And steals the covers. So I wake up in the middle of the night shivering and have to yank them back, then she yells at me for stealing the covers from HER."

"A truly vicious cycle," Sirius observed innocently, the corners of his mouth twitching rather suspiciously.

"And she's really touchy about the clean floor," James added yet another item to the list. "And she keeps eating this really odd Muggle food, like these fizzy drink things, and sweets that just sit there; they don't have any special effects at ALL –"

"James!" Remus, of all people, bellowed. "Everyone. Has. Annoying. Habits. Everyone! And when you start living with someone else, you find out what theirs are. D'you think that you don't annoy Lily?"

James opened his mouth and rapidly shut it again. "I never thought about it before," he admitted. "But I expect I do."

To his surprise, Remus, Peter, and Sirius all snorted in unison. "'Expect?!'" Sirius echoed. "Take it from three blokes who know, you definitely have your annoying points."

"Like what?" James demanded indignantly.

"Like how bloody cheerful you are when you get up in the morning," Sirius answered promptly.

"Or the way you leave your dirty socks on the floor," Remus added.

"Or how huffy you are about people touching your broomstick," Peter put in.

"Oh." James scratched his head reflectively. "So what should I do then?" he asked his mates.

Remus shook his head. "Don't do anything," he advised. "Just try to get used to it."

"Welcome to the wonderful world of marriage, Prongs," Sirius smirked, clapping James on the back.

* * *

Not surprisingly, Lily had a very similar conversation with Alice about the same subject. As Alice had been married for longer than she had, Lily reckoned that she may have dealt with the irritating habit issue already and found an answer to it. Or maybe there was some secret solution to the problem that they only told to married people and Alice would now be able to let Lily in on the secret.

Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be any clandestine answer to the age-old problem of irritation with one's spouse, or so Alice told her (after spouting off her own lengthy list of Frank's many personal foibles).

"That's just marriage, Lils," Alice concluded finally, unaware that she was echoing Sirius (an idea that would have horrified her). "Welcome to the rest of your life."

So Lily didn't say anything either. She swallowed her annoyance when James left the toilet seat up or followed her round the flat when she wanted to be left alone and bit back a snappish retort every time James looked at her expectantly whenever they were forced to learn a new household spell. Lily really didn't want to be a shrewish wife, and besides, they were married now; shouldn't everything be perfect?

James was doing and thinking much the same with similar results, and the truth was that this delicate situation was quickly gathering strength, building up its force like a gathering storm that would one day rain thunder and lightning down on their heads.

The thunder and lightning finally struck one morning over breakfast. Though neither Lily nor James were precisely early risers, James was, in fact, irksomely cheerful once he was finally awake. Surprisingly enough, this trait didn't bother Lily so much as it might have (other things bothered her more). She actually found it oddly endearing sometimes simply because it was James; had it been anyone else, she would probably have decapitated them quite promptly.

But there was nothing endearing about James' good cheer on that particular morning; Lily, cross with her irritation over other things, was for once rather annoyed by it. However, it was the jam that set Lily off.

James was reading the Daily Prophet over breakfast, as he did every morning, and absentmindedly stirring the jam with his spoon while he did so. For some reason she couldn't justify even to herself, this irked Lily to an unreasonable degree. Jam was not meant to be stirred. Who in the bloody hell even thought of stirring jam anyway? Only a thick-headed prat like James Potter, that was who.

Lily opened her mouth to share these observations with her husband, then snapped it rapidly shut. It was a stupid thing to argue about, and she really didn't want to have a row with James, not over something so trivial. Their days of stupid rows ought to be over, now that they were married.

But James kept on stirring and stirring the jam round in its jar with his spoon, and Lily, who watched the swirling jam as though possessed, felt her face grow red and literally bit her tongue to prevent herself from screaming at James to stop. But her face became redder and redder and she felt hotter and hotter....

Suddenly, the jam jar shattered into a thousand pieces, spattering globs of jam over Lily and a very surprised James, who finally looked up from the paper.

"What happened?" he asked, blinking.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Lily exclaimed, chagrined. Then, to her horror, she began to giggle. Suddenly the whole thing just seemed utterly ridiculous, and James looked so absurd, sitting there with blobs of jam smeared all over.

"Er – Lily?" James asked carefully, not entirely sure that his wife hadn't just gone barmy on him, "Is something funny?"

"Sorry," Lily gasped, clutching her sides. "I just feel so much better."

"All right," James said cautiously, not sure what to make of this.

"It's just that it was so ANNOYING," Lily attempted to explain, wiping some of the jam off of her face. "You stirring the jam, I mean. I can't even explain why it annoyed me, but for some reason it did, and I felt like I would pop if I didn't say something, but I didn't want to because I didn't want to have a fight, but I was so annoyed that the jam jar just – popped – instead of me. Does that make any sense to you at all?"

"Yeah," James nodded his head vigorously, sending little bits of jam flying. "It makes rather perfect sense, actually."

With that, Lily and James sat down on the sticky floor of their jam-spattered kitchen and told each other everything that irritated them, from the stupid and inexplicable bits to the things that were legitimately irksome. By the end, they were laughing so hard that speech was nearly impossible, both of them feeling as though a huge weight had been lifted. It was a very long time before they finally looked up a spell to clean up the kitchen.

* * *

It was about two weeks after the Order of the Phoenix meeting when it happened. James was sitting in Auror training, listening to Edgar Bones lecture about the most effective offensive spells to use when outnumbered when the door opened a crack, and Moody stuck his head in.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said gruffly, "but I need to speak with you, Edgar."

"Certainly," Edgar Bones flicked his wand, and the diagram that had been projecting from it disappeared. The two Aurors moved into the corridor, speaking in hushed voices.

Finally, Bones reentered the room, visibly shaken. "I'm afraid I have an – errand - to run," he explained, his usual air of calm competence conspicuously absent. "Just – just have a bit of a break until I get back." With that, Bones exited the classroom in a whoosh of robes.

Alice and Dorcas stood up to make their way to the loo, and James, Sirius, and Frank sat about, speculating grimly on what had so upset Edgar Bones. Finally, they decided to go and question some of the other Aurors and then catch up with Alice and Dorcas.

They didn't have far to go to catch up; almost directly outside the door they spotted Alice and Dorcas, who were listening to Moody as he spoke in a low, grim voice. Tears streamed down Alice's face, and she gripped Dorcas' hand; Dorcas looked as though she might be sick at any moment. Clearly, the news was not good.

Lily! James thought with a lurch. What if something had happened to Lily? He could feel the color draining from his face. Sirius glanced round and put a hand on James' shoulder, guessing the direction his panicked thoughts were taking.

Frank rushed over to Alice, James and Sirius on his heels.

"What's wrong?" he asked urgently. James and Sirius could only stare.

Moody's magic eye swiveled to face them before the rest of him did. "I've just come from the McKinnon's," he said briefly. "Marlene and her whole family are dead."

James felt as though he'd been punched in the stomach; Sirius and Frank looked as sick as he felt. "What happened?" he croaked.

"Death Eaters," Moody replied tersely. "The Dark Mark was hovering over the house when we got there. Magical Catastrophes was already inside; they were the ones that found them – "Moody broke off, composing himself with an effort.

"The children too?" Dorcas asked softly, her brown eyes suspiciously wet.

"The little boy, the baby, Andrew's parents who'd been visiting – all of them." Moody replied. He swallowed heavily.

"But how would they have known where to find them?" Alice asked, choked with tears. "Marlene's been in hiding because she is – was – Muggle born, and only the Ord – er – Dumbledore and his friends – knew where to find her."

"That," Moody said, giving them all a significant glance, "is something we don't know, but we bloody need to find out."

"Reminds me," he continued gruffly. "Do you lot fancy going for a pint tonight?"

The five former Gryffindors exchanged glances; "go for a pint tonight" was code for an Order meeting.

"Sure," James answered, speaking for all of them. "What do you fancy?"

"Butterbeer," Moody growled in response. Another round of glances was exchanged; this indicated that the meeting would be at ten o'clock.

"Right," Alice said softly. "That's fine." She and Frank made their way off down the corridor, arms round each other, talking softly. James turned to Moody.

"Does Lily know?" he asked. Sirius and Dorcas flanked him, waiting for Moody's reply.

"She does by now," Moody answered. "Edgar Bones went to tell her and escort her to the house, if she wants to go."

"I – that is – I need to go find her," James said simply.

Moody nodded. "I expected as much. Go on, Potter." James gave Moody a half smile of gratitude, nodded to Dorcas and Sirius, then dashed for the lifts.

* * *

Four hours later, James let himself quietly into his flat and felt his heart sink when he saw that it was dark. So Lily wasn't here either.

James had been trying to locate his wife ever since he'd left work, going first to the Department of Mysteries, where he thought Bones might still have been telling her the news, then to the house, the Dark Mark still hovering above it, where he was told that he'd just missed her. James had tried their flat, then the Evanses,' Marchbankses', and Prewetts', all without success. Lily was nowhere to be found.

A small stirring sound coming from the lounge area caught James' attention, and he peered into the gloom and caught a flash of red hair. Lily was here after all, sitting in the dark, curled into a tight ball on the sofa

"Lily?" he asked, his voice uncertain.

Wordlessly, Lily held out her arms and James moved to the sofa and put his arms round her. They stayed that way for a long time, offering each other silent comfort in the dark room.

* * *

Severus Snape delicately added a drop of purified adder venom to his latest experiment and turned to consult his list of ingredients once again. Powdered phoenix feather was next. Snape reached for the appropriate jar, and suddenly found that his hands were shaking too badly to remove the lid.

Uttering a smothered oath under his breath, Snape thumped the jar back onto the table and sat down, burying his head in his hands.

He was reliving it again, that night last August, the night he'd gone to the Muggle village with Karkaroff and the others for a little "innocent diversion." Snape smiled mirthlessly; the thought of anyone calling what had happened there innocent..........

Snape dreamed about it, the smells and the screams and the faces, and woke sweating and shaking, utterly unable to go back to sleep. As a result, Snape, already an established insomniac, got maybe six hours of sleep per week.

And recently he'd begun having flashbacks during the day, the memories as vivid as any nightmare. They had much the same effect; he sweated and shook and was unable to distinguish the memory from reality. He remembered the incident in images, like pictures; he wasn't able to piece together a continuous memory of that night, and Snape hoped to Merlin that he never would be able to.

A knock startled Snape from his reverie, and he spun round to see Lucius Malfoy standing in the doorway, using his cane to rap on the frame.

"Hello, Severus," Malfoy drawled, moving into the room. He made a small grimace of disgust at the odor coming from the cauldron and moved his chair further away.

"Lucius," Snape nodded curtly. Malfoy came to visit him without fail every day; Snape did not need to be told who had "suggested" these visits. The fact that the polished, elegant Lucius Malfoy paid such regular visits to a curt, admittedly antisocial eighteen-year-old wizard was telling enough.

Malfoy studied Snape. "Have you slept at all in the past week?" he asked familiarly.

"I fail to see why my sleeping habits should come under your jurisdiction, Lucius," Snape retorted tartly.

Recognizing a dead end conversation when he saw one, Malfoy sought to change the subject. "There is news," he began, and paused.

"Then by all means tell it to me, Lucius, though I warn you: if you're waiting for me to beg you for the details, you will wait a very long time indeed," Snape snapped. "You are scarcely my only source of information."

"The Mudblood Marlene McKinnon has been disposed of," Malfoy said blandly, ignoring Snape's belligerence. "She and her family, to be exact."

"I thought she'd gone into hiding," Snape felt a twinge of nausea over the news of more killing, in spite of himself.

"She had," Malfoy replied, "but our master has recently – acquired – a new source who provided us with an address, and Travers paid them a call."

"Do you suppose it was wise to kill of all of the McKinnons?" Snape asked coolly. "They are hardly without influence."

"Disposing of the McKinnons was most definitely the lesser of two evils," Malfoy assured him. "Marlene McKinnon was part of a much larger threat." Snape cocked a brow at Lucius, inviting him to go on.

Lowering his voice a touch, Malfoy continued. "McKinnon was a member of a secret organization that Albus Dumbledore started. He calls it the Order of the Phoenix."

Snape shivered slightly at the words, though he wasn't sure why.

"The purpose of this organization, or so the source informs the Dark Lord, is to put a stop to the Dark Lord's plans," Malfoy explained, amusement plain in his tone. "But of course, our master is once again one step ahead of that Muggle-loving old fool. He has a spy inside this Order, and the spy has already provided us with the names of the members, their plans, everything. The only thing this person can't give us is the meeting location; this changes every time, and it's protected by a Fidelius Charm. No matter; we can snuff them out one by one, just as we did McKinnon."

Malfoy had been watching Snape intently throughout this speech, looking, no doubt, for signs of revulsion or sympathy, or any other emotion that would be perceived as a threat to the Dark Lord's cause. Snape remained impassive, determined not to give Lucius anything to report back.

"Indeed," was Snape's only comment on this information. He rose decidedly, picking up his ingredients list again. "If you should see our master before I do, tell him that the potion will be ready for him in a week."

Malfoy rose as well. "If I see him, I'll inform him," he said, again not rising to the bait. "'Til tomorrow then, Severus."

"Indeed," Snape repeated, picking up the powdered phoenix feathers once more.

Malfoy swept from the room with his customary flair, and Snape waited until he heard the front door shut before he set the jar down and once more buried his face in his hands.

* * *

Author's Note:

I seem to be on a roll; I actually managed to make time to write! ) It feels good to be working consistently on this story again; I suppose we'll see if it lasts....

Thank you, everyone, for the reviews, and thank you especially to witch heart, James Potter09, Cecilia Orechio, and hairy hen. I was really touched by the things you said; your reviews meant a lot to me. )

The jam incident in this chapter is based on a true story (minus the explosion, obviously) but I won't say anything more to protect the embarrassed.

Anyway, thanks for reading. Review and let me know what you thought!


	49. Three Letter Word

Chapter 48 Three Letter Word

Spy. The word seemed to hover above the Order of the Phoenix members, humming in the air as plainly as if someone had whispered it.

Nobody said it, of course, but then nobody needed to. It was disturbingly clear that a traitor was in their midst.

Four weeks after the McKinnons' murder, another tragedy had occurred. Edgar Bones, along with his wife Jane and their four children, were murdered in their beds, a glittering green Dark Mark hovering over their house like a signature.

The entire wizarding world mourned the loss; Edgar Bones had been a leading Auror, his wife Jane a highly skilled Unspeakable, and theirs was one of the most prominent pureblood families in wizarding society. The fact that the Death Eaters could murder people like them as easily as unknown Muggle borns brought about a new wave of panic.

The Order members felt this loss keenly as well; Edgar had been well liked and deeply respected for both his courage and his dedication to their cause.

First Marlene, now Edgar. One was a tragedy, two was a sign. The Order of the Phoenix had been compromised.

Suddenly, the Order members were less friendly to each other, less inclined to share personal information or assignments with those they didn't know well. It wasn't overt or obvious, of course; nobody had a shred of proof, just unfounded feelings and prejudices. No one spoke of it openly, but everyone had his or her theory as to who the spy was.

"I think it's Caradoc Dearborn," Alice said quite out of the blue as she and her fellow former Gryffindors sat in the Leaky Cauldron after a particularly grim Order meeting one night.

"You think what's Caradoc Dearborn?" Remus asked carefully. He and the others all exchanged significant looks.

"You know very well what I mean," Alice snapped. "I think he might be the spy."

This statement was met with another round of glances, but nobody met Alice's eye directly or opened their mouths. The subject was too tense, too explosive.

"I don't want to think it's him," Alice went on, speaking quickly now as though some sort of dam had broken. "I don't want to think it's anyone, but the fact of the matter is that it IS someone, and I can't bear to not talk about it anymore."

"Why do you think it's Caradoc Dearborn?" Dorcas asked finally.

"Well," Alice took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself, "he makes the most sense as a spy to me. He's very, very good at keeping secrets, he does it for a living, really. He's used to hiding things from people; none of us would ever know anything he didn't want us to."

"It makes sense," Peter mused. The others remained silent, occasionally casting a furtive glance in Lily's direction. Of all of them, Lily was the only one present who had more than a passing acquaintance with Caradoc Dearborn. He had hired her, and for all they knew, she worked directly with him. But Lily remained silent; she'd been a bit withdrawn since Marlene's death and only James (or Sirius, on occasion) could seem to make her laugh anymore.

"The problem," Alice went on, "is that I can make lists and lists of people who AREN'T probable suspects; I know it isn't any of you, or my brothers."

"Or Sturgis," Sirius volunteered.

"Or Hagrid," Dorcas added.

"Or Moody," James put in decidedly. "And of course it couldn't be Dumbledore. It really is hard to think of someone."

"So we're left with Dedalus Diggle, Emmeline Vance, Benjy Fenwick, Elphias Doge, Dumbledore's brother, and the Weasleys," Frank listed, ticking off each one on his fingers. He shook his head. "Damned if I can figure it out."

"Dedalus Diggle?" Remus was incredulous. "Not likely."

"It can't be Elphias Doge either," Dorcas protested. "He's too old to be a double agent."

"Or Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," James said. "They're really nice, and they have all those children."

"What has that got to do with it?" Sirius scoffed. "People with children can be evil; just look at MY parents!"

"So you suspect Mrs. Weasley then?" James shot back. "What does she do, tell Voldemort who's in the Order, then mend his socks for him?"

"It can't be Dumbledore's brother either," Remus said loudly, drowning out James and Sirius' pointless argument. "Dumbledore would know whether or not he could trust his own brother."

"But what if he's jealous of him or something?" Alice pointed out. "Have you ever actually SEEN him at an Order meeting apart from the time we took that picture? No, I'd say he's a suspect too."

"Maybe Emmeline Vance," Peter piped up. "She's a bit scary."

"I doubt it," James shook his head. "She knows my parents pretty well, and she's been anti-Voldemort for a long time, almost as long as they have."

"It does seem to come back to Caradoc Dearborn," Alice said ruefully.

"Caradoc Dearborn's not the spy," Seven heads swiveled toward Lily. "Dumbledore's been friends with Mr. Dearborn for years; they know each other really well. Besides, Dearborn's the head of the Department of Mysteries, and there are loads of things in there that Voldemort would love to get his hands on. If Dearborn was spying for him, why wouldn't he just get Voldemort whatever he wanted, or give him access to the department? No, Dearborn's one of the least likely people to be a spy."

"Well, none of us are likely, are we?" Remus pointed out. "We were all selected because Dumbledore felt he could trust us and that we were devoted to the cause. And when is Dumbledore ever wrong?"

"Well, he was wrong once," Sirius said grimly, glancing round the table. "And it just may turn out to be one hell of a mistake."

* * *

Peter stretched and shifted in his chair, resisting the impulse to groan as he thought of how many hours were left until he could go home. He still had a good many more envelopes to stuff and Use of Improper Magic Reports to file until then.

Since he'd begun his double life, Peter minded his job in the Improper Use of Magic office a lot less. He no longer felt like he was wasting his life; that was the old Peter who posted letters and filed papers and wondered how he would survive another sixty or so years of it. That Peter was just a cover for the new Peter, who did exciting, daring things and only needed this job to hide those things from people who would not understand.

Of course, spying hadn't always been so exciting. He'd actually been quite scared his first few times, afraid that at any moment the Dark Lord would change his mind and decide to expose Peter's secrets after all, or even just kill him. Eventually he'd realized that he was good at what he did, and valued and appreciated in a way he never had been before. But at first it had been bloody scary.

It had been last January that he'd been recruited. Peter had been going to bed one night; he'd turned round from closing his bedroom door behind him and there she was, waiting for him.

Hundreds of memories crashed into Peter at the sight of her, memories of furtive meetings in corners and cupboards and deserted dormitories, of watching her secretly for hours, both fascinated and repelled and completely unable to look away. He remembered her proud posture and her spine-chilling laugh and her glossy black hair and aristocratic features. Bellatrix.

She straightened from where she'd been lounging on his bed and moved toward him, stepping into the dim light. Peter hadn't seen her since he'd left Hogwarts, but she looked the same. No, not quite, she was different, somehow. More vibrant, as though bubbling over with some secret joy. And knowing Bellatrix, that joy had directly to do with someone else's misfortune.

"Surprised, pet?" Bellatrix's hand stretched out and came to rest lightly on Peter's cheek.

"B-Bellatrix!" Peter squeaked, nervous and secretly delighted at the same time. "What –"

"No doubt you weren't expecting to see me here," Bellatrix cut in, grinning at him gleefully. "I have a proposition for you." Peter opened his mouth eagerly, but Bellatrix cut him off again.

"Not that sort of proposition, poppet," she taunted him knowingly. "I'm engaged now, you know. To Rodolphus."

Bellatrix made her way back to Peter's bed and sprawled on it, deliberately provocative. "Have I ever told you about Rodolphus, pet?" she asked conversationally. "He's jealous, you see. Very, very jealous. And he also knows me very, very well, knows how I get restless and like to play." Bellatrix's grin gave Peter a clear idea of just what sort of play she meant. "He doesn't blame me for it, he loves me too well, but he does tend to become a bit – vexed – with my playmates if he knows who they are."

Slowly, Bellatrix levered herself into a sitting position. "I was always careful that he never knew I was playing with you," she said softly. "I don't mind usually, and Rodolphus' rages are rather amusing. But you'd been staring at me for years, little voyeur that you are, and I grew a bit – attached. It was a bit of an effort to keep him from finding out, I must say, darling. You were always so – clumsy. And so obvious. But I managed it."

Bellatrix's eyes lost their faraway look and began to glitter again. "I really will be just a bit sorry when he kills you," she said softly. And Peter realized that the misfortune that Bellatrix was anticipating so eagerly was his.

"No!" Peter begged, throwing himself down in front of her. "Please, Bellatrix, please don't tell him! You said you were fond of me, you can't just let Lestrange kill me, you can't!"

"Oh, but I can," Bellatrix singsonged. "It would be too easy, and terribly amusing for me. But I might be persuaded not to, if......"

"If what?" Peter almost sobbed. He had never in all his life been so frightened, nor felt so alone. "I'll do anything!"

"The Dark Lord," Bellatrix began slowly, "wants information about Dumbledore and just what exactly it is that he's up to. I know you're close to Dumbledore, poppet, you and your little coven are his particular pets. All you have to do is get some information about Dumbledore and his activities and share it with me, and nothing happens to you."

Peter gulped in air, his mind spinning in terror. He didn't want to betray Professor Dumbledore and his friends by association. He couldn't spy on them and report back to Bellatrix like some sort of traitor. None of his friends would ever speak to him again, he'd be out of the Order, and his mum would probably skin him alive; his life would be ruined.

"A-and if I d-don't?" Peter asked, trying his best to appear defiant.

Bellatrix smiled lazily at him. "Then, poppet, I tell my beloved fiancé that it wasn't Severus Snape he had cause to be jealous of during my last year at Hogwarts. As I told you, Rodolphus is jealous, and prone to rages; he'll hunt you like a Mudblood and kill you – eventually." Her smile widened. "And that's only the half of it; I'll tell my esteemed cousin and Potter and the rest of your mates just where exactly you were sneaking off to all those years – and just what exactly we were doing when I found out about it."

Peter's blood went cold in his veins. His friends wouldn't, COULDN'T find out about him and Bellatrix, all of the years he'd spent watching her, alone and with Lestrange, or what he had done with her in seventh year. James would never speak to him again, not after what Bellatrix had tried to do to Lily. Remus wouldn't either; he was too perfect to understand Peter's obsession with her. And Sirius would hate him too; he loathed Bellatrix, for all of the things she'd done to other people and for herself alone. That could not be allowed to happen, it simply couldn't. It turned out that there was something worse than being a traitor, after all.

But Peter couldn't let Bellatrix or Lestrange or You Know Who kill him. If he'd been Remus or Sirius or James, he would've faced Bellatrix defiantly and told her what she could do with her proposition and damn the consequences. But Peter had never been as strong as they were; he'd always known that.

"All right," Peter had whispered, torn between hating himself and an odd relief that he had a way out. "What do you want to know?"

* * *

Peter started violently as though he could shake the memory out of his head. He glanced round at the other desks, but none of his fellow clerks seemed to have noticed. Coming to a decision, Peter pushed back his chair and stood up; getting a drink of water would kill a bit of time, and he needed something to distract him from his memories anyway.

The water cooler was next to the door that led to the corridor, and Peter glanced idly out as he drank his water. The corridors seemed to have at least a few people in them at nearly any time of day, and of course, there were always loads of owls, carrying post from one office to another. Peter had used to take as many opportunities as possible to glance at or be in the corridor; it had always seemed to him that the people out there were going places and doing things that were far more exciting than his staid job. It felt good in a way to look at the corridor now and know that anything those people were doing were dull in comparison to his double life.

But today as he peered out into the corridor, Peter spotted a familiar face. Kathleen Kirkpatrick was standing a little distance away from his office's door, talking with a witch Peter didn't know.

Throwing caution aside, Peter pushed open the door and stepped into the hallway. He'd always liked talking to Kathleen; she'd always been a great source of news at Hogwarts and continued to be one now, with her job at the Daily Prophet. And there was nothing Peter liked better than to know what was going on. Besides, it was part of his job now to keep tabs on things.

"Hi, Kathleen," Peter said, coming to stand beside her. "What're you doing here?"

"Oh, hi, Peter," Kathleen seemed a bit embarrassed. "Thanks for your help," she said to the witch. "I'll talk to you again later, shall I?"

"All right," the woman stared curiously at Peter, but moved off down the hall without comment.

"So, are you at lunch, or something?" Kathleen asked Peter, rummaging industriously in her handbag. She didn't seem to want to meet Peter's eyes for some reason.

"Not exactly..." Peter hedged. "What about you?" he asked pointedly. "Are you here for the Prophet?"

"Not exactly..." It was Kathleen's turn to hedge.

"Come on," Peter leaned forward eagerly. "You can tell me."

"Erm...." Kathleen glanced round the corridor pointedly.

"Oh, right!" Peter led the way back into the Improper Use of Magic office and to his cubicle. Kathleen stepped in after him and cast a soundproofing charm on it. Peter could scarcely contain his eagerness; this must be REALLY good.

"Are you doing some sort of secret expose?" he asked breathlessly.

"No," Kathleen still seemed reluctant. "Well, I am in a way, but it's not for the paper. Not yet, at least. Not officially...."

"What do you mean 'officially?'" Peter waited with bated breath.

Kathleen glanced over her shoulder. "I suppose I can tell you," she unbent a bit, smiling at Peter affectionately. "Do you remember me mentioning Mad Eye Moody's theories about Death Eater spies in the Ministry? It was at Frank and Alice's party, almost a year ago."

Peter suddenly felt something cold and hard settle in the pit of his stomach. "Yeah, I remember," he managed to say, striving for a casual tone. "What about it?"

"Well," Kathleen lowered her voice, even though no one could hear them, "I haven't been able to stop thinking of it since. I've been looking into it a bit, and I think Moody may be right; the Death Eaters have known about a few too many things for it to be a coincidence. I think You Know Who has a spy in the Ministry, and I think it's someone with a fair amount of influence."

"You know Moody's half mad, Kathleen," Peter protested, knowing it to be a feeble effort even as he said it. "He's paranoid, from what James and Sirius say."

"And he's been an Auror for a very long time because of it," Kathleen retorted. "And I think his 'paranoia', as you call it, is spot on in this case."

Peter swallowed with an effort and tried to calm his frantic insides. "Do you know who it is?" he asked a moment later, trying to sound as though he were just interested in a good piece of gossip. "The s-spy?"

"No," Kathleen admitted. "I'm still investigating. But it's a bit hard since I can't use any of my usual Ministry contacts, as it isn't officially for the paper. And I can't really use my personal contacts like Alice and Dorcas and everyone because the spy probably isn't an Auror; they're trained to catch Dark wizards, after all. I do want to talk to Lily, though; the Department of Mysteries would be ideal for a spy, and Remus knows some useful people, then of course there's the Order – "

"Er, Kathleen?" Peter cut her off.

"Yeah?" Kathleen looked at him oddly, and Peter tried to arrange his face into more casual lines. He had to play this just right, or it would quite literally be his head.

"Have – have you talked to any of these people yet?" he asked as mildly as he could, playing idly with a paper clip as he spoke.

"No, not yet," Kathleen seemed slightly defensive. "Why do you ask?"

"Well," Peter took a deep breath, his head spinning. "D'you think that's the best thing? To tell a load of people that you're looking for a spy, I mean. There IS a spy in the Order; what if it got back to the Ministry spy that you knew about him? Or what if it's even the same person?"

Peter glanced up at Kathleen; she seemed impressed by this reasoning.

"And," Peter continued to twist his paper clip, "d'you really think the others would be keen about you doing something so dangerous, especially Remus?"

"I know Remus wouldn't be happy about it," Kathleen said dryly. "But I can't do it all on my own; I don't have enough Ministry clearance or the right contacts to do the sort of investigating I need to do."

Peter let out the breath he'd been holding and finally abandoned his paper clip. "I'll help you, Kathleen," he offered shyly. "I don't have the highest clearance, but I do talk to people and hear things. I'll help you get started, and when we've found something we can tell the others."

"People don't give you enough credit, Peter," Kathleen smiled warmly at him. "I'd be honoured if you'd help me."

"It'll be great," Peter managed a grin and held out his hand. "Just between us?"

"Just between us," Kathleen answered, shaking the hand Peter had extended. "Thanks so much, Peter."

"It's nothing," Peter felt the guilt churning round in his stomach. "Look, I ought to get back to work now, but maybe you can tell me more about this tomorrow? Over lunch or something?"

"Definitely," Kathleen flicked her wand to dispel the soundproofing charm and made her way to the door. "See you!"

"See you," Peter echoed weakly. The moment Kathleen rounded the corner, he collapsed in his chair. This was a problem, a very big problem.

Though Peter was a spy and did work for the Ministry, he was not the Ministry spy; his job was too junior to be of any use to the Dark Lord's cause, and his real value was in the Order of the Phoenix. But Peter did know who the Ministry spy was. He'd been given his name in case he ever did have something of value to report.

And he did have to report it. Peter didn't like the idea of endangering Kathleen; she'd always been nice to him at school ,and he considered her to be a friend. But in this case it was her or him; if he didn't report it, they'd find out anyway and he'd be disposed of for knowing something so important and failing to mention it.

It wasn't like Kathleen was going to be in any real danger, Peter argued to himself. He'd mislead her as much as possible; she'd never come anywhere near the truth. And the Dark Lord wouldn't have her killed unless she did; it was risky to kill reporters.

Peter didn't really like it, but he would tell the Dark Lord about Kathleen when he met with him tonight. It might be a danger to Kathleen, but Peter had learned by now that it was even more dangerous to keep secrets from the Dark Lord.

* * *

Frank and Alice's first wedding anniversary was in July, and this time they threw themselves a party. It was as different from Mrs. Longbottom's perfect garden gala as a party could be; they rented a private room in the Leaky Cauldron and invited more than a hundred friends for a night of food, drink, and dancing.

The mood at the party was lighter than it had been for months; the Order members were beginning to get over the staggering tragedies that had confronted them so close together and were able to forget about spies and Death Eaters and saving the wizarding world for a little while, at least.

Everyone clapped and cheered for Frank and Alice as they cut the cake and began the dancing, pleased to finally have an occasion to celebrate. Their one wedding picture was proudly on display, a sunburned Alice and beaming Frank waving at everyone from the steps of a Florentine cathedral, both of them clad in Muggle holiday clothes.

Lily was more like her old self than she had been since Marlene had died, James was ecstatic to note, talking and smiling more readily than she had in months. James made every effort to help her have fun at the party, spinning her round and round on the dance floor till she was dizzy, telling every outrageous or dirty joke he could remember (which was a good many) and just generally putting himself out to be as charming and arrogant as possible. And his efforts seemed to pay off; Lily had a marvelous time, and consequently James was walking on air.

Lily and James' lightheartedness was contagious, and the party was a resounding success, with all of the guests staying till the wee hours of the morning, high on life and fun and laughter as much as the butterbeer.

* * *

Unfortunately, the Order's high spirits didn't last for long. Three weeks later, Caradoc Dearborn didn't show up at work, the first time he'd ever failed to do so in his long career. Though this was definitely cause for some concern, no one was truly alarmed until his family reported that he hadn't been home, either.

A very thorough search began in earnest, but there was nothing to find: Caradoc Dearborn had disappeared without a trace. After more than a month of searching, the official verdict given was "Whereabouts Unknown – Presumed Dead," but few people doubted that the Death Eaters could have offered a clue as to Dearborn's whereabouts.

"I just don't understand it," James mused aloud. He and Sirius were sprawled in the lounge area of Lily and James' flat, completely done in after a long day of training. To top it off, the Ministry had given the official verdict on Caradoc Dearborn earlier that day, and despite the fact that James and Sirius knew as well as the next person that the search for Dearborn was futile at this point, it was still quite depressing to give it up.

"What's not to understand?" Sirius asked reasonably, not bothering to ask James what he was on about. "It's true, as far as it goes: we don't know what Dearborn's whereabouts are and we do presume that he's dead. We just also presume that we know the cause, but bureaucrats can't put that in their report without proof."

"I understand THAT," James snapped. "What I don't get is why the Death Eaters wouldn't want it known that they got Dearborn – he is a pretty significant prize, after all."

Sirius shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine, mate." Sirius paused, and James regarded him curiously. It was unlike Sirius to be hesitant about anything. "Does Lily know?" he asked finally.

"Yeah," James ran a hand distractedly through his hair. "'Course she does – he was head of her department."

"What did she say?" Sirius wanted to know.

It was James' turn to shrug. "Not much. You know Lily," he said simply, exchanging a significant glance with Sirius.

"Well, the Order won't give up on him," Sirius changed subjects abruptly, trying to be a bit more hopeful. "And we're a damned lot more effective than the bloody Ministry any day."

Before James could respond to this, the key turned in the latch and Lily stood in the doorway, wearing an odd expression as though she smelled something terrible but couldn't quite place the stench.

Swiftly, James and Sirius swapped glances. "Hi," James offered warily.

"Hi," Lily sounded a bit dazed.

James pulled himself off of the sofa and made his way toward her. "How were your mum and dad?" he asked cautiously. Lily had gone to visit her parents after work at their request; maybe the Dursleys had been there and Lily was still recovering from the combined powers of Petunia and Vernon.

"They were all right," Lily replied in the same odd monotone. She tossed her handbag on the table and went over to the sofa, James trailing in her wake.

"Would you – er – would you like a drink?" James ventured, looking helplessly at Sirius.

"Merlin, yes," Lily kicked off her shoes and made to stand up.

"You stay there, I'll get it," James dashed toward the kitchen, anxious to make things better in any way possible. He emerged a mere thirty seconds later, brandishing three butterbeers triumphantly.

Lily, James, and Sirius sat sipping their butterbeers in silence for a few moments, Sirius and James wondering how to deal with this odd behaviour.

"Mum and Dad had some – news," Lily said finally. James and Sirius whipped round in perfect unison to stare at her. "Apparently Petunia's – "Lily took a fortifying breath, "pregnant."

"Eurgh!" James and Sirius exclaimed in perfect unison.

"That's exactly what I said," Lily commented. "Mum wasn't very pleased with me."

"But that's disgusting!" James exclaimed, appalled. "Petunia CAN'T be pregnant! That would mean that she and Vernon would have to – that is, they would have – "

"The possibility occurred to me too," Lily assured him dryly."In fact, I couldn't get it out of my head the whole time I was in the Tube."

"Why was Lily in a tube?" Sirius whispered to James.

"Never mind, I'll explain later," James waved him off distractedly, still trying to absorb this disturbing new reality. "What about your parents? How did they TELL you? I don't think I'd be able to get the words out if I had to tell someone something like that."

"They're very happy about it," Lily wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Mum kept going on and on about how wonderful it'll be to have a baby about again, and Dad's all excited to have a grandson."

"Wonderful? Excited?" Sirius snorted. "By all accounts, your sister and her husband are two of the worst people in the world. Why would anyone be HAPPY that they got together and decided to reproduce?"

Lily grinned; Sirius definitely did have a way with words. "Damned if I know," she replied, leaning back against James.

"Maybe it isn't Vernon's baby," James said hopefully. "It wouldn't be quite as bad if this baby was only one of theirs. Maybe Petunia shagged a store clerk!"

"Or a lift operator," Sirius put in.

"Or the postman," Lily suggested

James and Sirius glared at her, irked. "Crush our hopes, why don't you?" James scowled. "You couldn't even come up with a real person?!"

"Next I suppose you'll tell us she shagged him in that tube they put you in," Sirius snorted.

Lily rolled her eyes, not even bothering to dignify either of them with a response.

* * *

Author's Note:

There it is: the reason Peter started spying for Voldemort, as I imagine it, anyway. As I was saying to a friend earlier, the more I write about Peter, the more I wish I could just have him get hit by a bus. It would definitely save everyone a lot of grief; too bad that would ruin a rather major plot point...

As always, I want to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and thanks especially to parvati-15, Nadia 118, James Potter09, and Cecilia Orechio. I'm really lucky to have such amazing reviewers.

Also, I wanted to mention that yesterday was the one year anniversary of the day I first posted Priori Incantatem, and if you'd told me at the time that I'd still be writing it a year later, I'd never have believed it (mostly because I thought I would have finished by now). Thanks for all of the encouragement, everyone; it's been quite a year. The next chapter should be up in about a week; enjoy!


	50. Something in the Water

Chapter 49 Something in the Water

October 1979

Lily took a glass of champagne from the floating tray that was circulating the room and stepped back a bit, taking the opportunity to step out of the spotlight and observe the party guests unnoticed for a few minutes.

Kathleen was saying something earnestly to Mad Eye Moody in one corner, her hands gesticulating animatedly while Moody nodded, a slight frown visible on his scarred face. Remus was talking with Peter and Sturgis Podmore nearby, although Peter seemed more inclined to eavesdrop on Kathleen and Moody than to follow his own conversation. Lily grinned a bit; how very like Peter.

Across the room, Lily could see her parents with Mr. and Mrs. Potter, talking about Petunia's coming baby, Lily had no doubt. Mr. and Mrs. Evans rarely talked about anything else anymore. Her grin faded into a grimace at the thought; Lily was still extremely squeamish about the whole situation.

Nearby, Frank and Alice were talking to Frank's parents and Griselda Marchbanks. Lily did a double take when she saw Alice, who was positively radiant. She'd never seen Alice look happy while in the presence of her mother in law, but happy Alice undoubtedly was. In fact, she positively glowed with it. Could it be that Mrs. Longbottom had finally said something nice to her?

Before Lily could expand upon her curiosity, a familiar laugh caught her attention. Turning, Lily spotted James and Sirius, together as usual, teasing Morwenna near the refreshments. Whatever remark had made James laugh had obviously been at Sirius' expense; he was glowering at James and a smug Morwenna.

Catching Lily's eye, James grinned at her and motioned for her to come over. Without hesitation, Lily abandoned her corner and moved toward them, weaving through the crowd and stopping occasionally to greet someone or respond to a remark.

In honour of James and Lily's one year anniversary, Mr. and Mrs. Potter had thrown them a party. It wasn't anything grand; large parties were extremely rare in the wizarding world these days, but a few people had gathered at the Potters' for hors d'ouevres and to congratulate Lily and James.

For their actual anniversary, Lily and James had gone on a minibreak to Rome, where they'd spent half their time getting lost and the other half arguing over whether or not it would be all right for James to enchant the moped they had rented to fly. They'd come back, brown from the sun and relaxed, just in time for the party.

"Congratulations, Lils," Morwenna said to Lily as she reached them, kissing her cheek in greeting. "You now qualify for sainthood, having been married to this git for a year."

Lily giggled, only to turn her laughter into a tactful coughing fit a moment later after observing James' scowl and Sirius' grin. Apparently it would be wiser not to comment.

"Sirius and I have decided that we should all go to the Leaky Cauldron after," Morwenna continued, hastily changing the subject. "You can tell us all about Rome and everything then."

"Sure," Lily replied, her coughing having miraculously ceased. "That'll be fun."

"Maybe we can turn in your application for sainthood on the way," Sirius cracked.

"There's Professor Dumbledore, Lily," James said pointedly, steering her toward him. "Let's go and say hello." He practically dragged her away from Sirius and Morwenna, who were sniggering in earnest. Lily grinned back at them over her shoulder, but as she caught James' eye, decided to have another coughing fit instead.

"Coming down with something, St Lily?" James stared her down with his version of the Prefect Glare of Death.

"I do feel a bit ill suddenly," Lily fluttered her lashes at James innocently and put a hand to her forehead.

James snorted. "Why is it everyone thinks you suffer so much being married to me?" he demanded.

"I have no idea, dear," Lily returned facetiously.

* * *

Several hours later, Lily and James, accompanied by Sirius, Remus, Kathleen, Peter, Alice, Morwenna, Frank, and Dorcas, arrived at the Leaky Cauldron to catch up on each other's lives over a night cap. What with one thing and another, it had been quite a while since all of them were together.

As soon as they were settled in their usual corner table and had ordered, Morwenna and Alice demanded to hear all about Lily and James' trip to Rome.

"It was brilliant," Lily began.

"It would've been a lot more brilliant a lot sooner if you'd let me put a spell on the moped straight away," James muttered.

"What's this?" Peter glanced from Lily to James expectantly.

"We rented this moped thing to get round the city," James explained. "But we kept getting lost, so I wanted to – er - put a small enchantment on the moped to make finding our way a bit easier."

"Small?!" Lily scoffed. "You call a flying spell small?"

"Well, it would've made it loads easier to find the Coliseum," James pointed out.

"I wanted to use Floo powder and those tourist Portkeys to get round the city, but no, you insisted on the moped," Lily shot back. "Don't blame me if you kept getting lost; I wasn't the one who wanted an excuse to drive."

James flushed amid the amused glances of their mates. "I was trying to absorb local culture," he muttered. Lily snorted derisively, but made no further comment.

Soon everyone was taking part in the Great Flying Moped Debate; Sirius, Peter, and Dorcas were all for James' view, while Remus, Kathleen, Morwenna, Alice, and Frank supported Lily's claim that a flying moped would most definitely have attracted unwanted attention from the Roman Muggles. Not to mention the little matter of violating several wizarding laws and the threat of being thrown into jail in a foreign country.

"It doesn't really matter what you think about it anyway," Alice snapped at Sirius after a while. "The point is that Lily won the argument and they didn't ride a flying moped round the city in plain view of all the Muggles. Right, Lily?"

"Er, well, not exactly....." It was Lily's turn to flush.

"What do you mean?" Alice gawped. "You can't really be telling me that you let James do it?!"

"Yes she did," James smirked triumphantly. "Lily finally gave in on our last night there."

Everyone turned in unison to stare at Lily, a few mouths hanging open.

"Well, it was dark out," Lily muttered defensively. "And we drove really fast." Alice merely shook her head, looking rather betrayed.

"She didn't cave in until the very end," James said comfortingly to Alice. "And I can be very persuasive, you know."

Everyone except Lily snorted into their drinks in wry agreement with James, who opened his mouth indignantly.

"So that's it, then, in the way of news?" Remus asked Lily hastily, cutting James off.

"Yeah, pretty much," Lily replied, flashing Remus a grateful look. "Oh – there's one other thing. My sister's pregnant."

"Eurgh!" exclaimed Dorcas, Morwenna, and Kathleen in unison.

"Everyone seems to say that," Lily said absently to herself.

"What's so bad about that?" Frank wanted to know.

"Yeah," Peter piped up.

"Isn't that good news?" Remus added uncertainly. Everyone else at the table, all of whom had heard stories about or had actually met Petunia, shot the unenlightened trio pitying glances.

"It is most definitely NOT good news," James said decidedly. "Lily's sister – who looks like a deranged horse – is having a baby with a rampaging hippopotamus. How can that be good news?"

"Hey!" Lily exclaimed. "That's my sister you're talking about, James!"

"And which part of my description would you disagree with?" James asked innocently.

"Good point," Lily conceded after a moment.

"There're going to be loads of babies next year," Peter commented. "Mrs. Weasley's pregnant, and Edgar Bones' sister in law, and now Lily's sister. Must be something in the water."

"Hate to break it to you, mate," Sirius commented, "but water's got nothing to do with it."

This comment was largely ignored, however, as the conversation blazed ahead without him.

"Mrs. Lovegood at the Prophet is pregnant too," Kathleen chimed in.

"And Narcissa Malfoy," Morwenna added, grimacing in distaste.

"And – "Alice glanced swiftly at Frank, who nodded almost imperceptibly. "um, me," she finished nervously.

"WHAT?!" James and Sirius shouted in unison.

"Congratulations!" Kathleen squealed, jumping out of her chair to hug Alice. Lily, Morwenna, and Dorcas immediately followed her, all of them gathering round Alice in a happy, squealing mass.

The five wizards were left facing each other, feeling more than a bit odd about both the witches' reaction and the entire subject of pregnancy in general.

James cleared his throat. "Congratulations, mate," he said gruffly, slapping Frank on the back.

"Really happy for you," Sirius punched Frank, who was by now a brilliant shade of crimson, in the arm.

"It's great news," Remus said, wincing a bit as the squealing went up an octave.

"Yeah," Peter echoed uncertainly. "Er – well done?"

At this, the five wizards looked at each other and began to snigger, resembling nothing so much as the randy bunch of sewer-minded thirteen-year-olds they'd used to be.

"No, I don't feel sick at all!" Alice was saying in response to Morwenna's inquiry. "I mean, I only found out about a week and a half ago, so there's still time, but I really think it isn't going to be too bad!"

"It might not be," Kathleen said consideringly. "My cousin was pregnant a couple of years ago, and she said she wasn't sick for a single day."

"Does your sister feel sick, Lils?" Alice wanted to know

"I don't know," Lily replied.. "I haven't spoken with her since I found out about it."

"Oh right," Alice seemed to be recalling what Lily's sister was like. "Well, it's different for everyone anyway."

The rest of the evening was given over to talk about pregnancy and babies, everyone doing their best to offer tips, advice, or even just observations about the whole subject. Alice listened to everyone, shouted at a couple (Sirius and James), blushed a lot, and kept exchanging blissful glances with Frank, who seemed almost as happy as Alice was.

Finally, Peter rose to go round eleven-thirty, explaining that his mum would be upset if he came in much later than this.

"Congratulations again," Peter said to Alice and Frank, stooping to hug Alice and slap Frank on the back. "See you lot later."

"Peter seems different somehow," Alice said speculatively to Lily, watching Peter leave the pub.

"I know what you mean," Lily replied, taking a sip of her drink and turning to watch Peter as well.

"I can't quite put my finger on it though," Alice mused. "He seems somehow more –"

"Self-confident?" Lily suggested.

"That's what it is!" Alice agreed. "He seems more self-confident."

"I wonder what's happened to make him feel so much better about himself," Lily frowned at the door again, though Peter was long gone.

"Who knows?" Alice shrugged. "Whatever it is, I'm sure we'll find out eventually. Peter has his good points, but keeping a secret is not one of them."

"Yeah," Lily echoed, still thoughtful. "We'll find out eventually."

* * *

Peter walked briskly away from the Leaky Cauldron, his hands crammed in his cloak pockets against the harsh October wind. Now a little distance away, he pulled out his wand and Disapparated as quickly as he dared. He could not be late tonight of all nights.

Peter had already stayed longer than he'd meant to at the Leaky Cauldron, but he couldn't have left sooner than he had, not after hearing Frank and Alice's news; it would've looked highly suspicious. Peter smiled to himself as he thought of it; he was happy for them. It was clear how happy Alice and Frank were and how excited Alice was. Peter didn't even pretend to understand it, but Alice had always been nice to him, and if the baby made her happy, then he was glad for her. Peter felt a tiny twinge of guilt at the thought that Frank and Alice and their baby could be in danger because of him, but he quickly stifled it. What was done was done, and Peter hadn't had a choice in the matter. Plus, it wasn't as though he meant any harm to Frank and Alice personally any more than he had to any of his other friends.

Reaching his destination, Peter stepped quickly into the shadows, then rapped the signal knock on the front door.

"Pettigrew," Avery greeted him, standing aside so Peter could step into the entrance hall. "You're early."

"I didn't want to be l-late," Peter explained nervously, his excitement twisting his stomach into knots.

"This way," Avery said, and Peter followed him into a cavernous room lit with only a few candles. The dim light cast heavy shadows over everything, but the room had been prepared for a ceremony. Peter felt another little thrill of anticipation. All of this was for him, and he'd never felt quite so excited and powerful and alive in his entire life.

A door opened on the other side of the room, and the Dark Lord entered, flanked by two Death Eaters, one of them with a robe draped over their arm. Their heads were hooded, and the shadows made it impossible for Peter to see their faces.

Peter waited apprehensively as more and more Death Eaters entered, all cloaked in identical black hooded robes, their hoods drawn up and their faces in shadow. None of them spoke; each new arrival moved wordlessly into place in the quickly-filling circle that had formed round Peter and the Dark Lord.

Like Peter, Voldemort's face remained uncovered. He stood with his followers around him, wand clutched in his hand, alert and ready for his part of the ceremony. The feeling of power he emanated was palpable, radiating across the room and through each and every one of the assembled Death Eaters. Peter shivered involuntarily, both excited and scared to become a part of that power.

Finally, Voldemort raised his arms and began to speak in a hissing dialect Peter vaguely recognized as Parseltongue, moving slowly toward him. Peter felt his heart crawl up into his throat and lodge there as the Dark Lord stretched his wand toward him, the Death Eaters chanting all around them.....

As though in a trance, Peter extended his left forearm, everything else fading away as the most searing pain he'd ever experienced shattered his consciousness.

* * *

November 1979

"Is it time yet?"

Sirius consulted his wristwatch. "Three more minutes."

"THREE minutes?! It's been at least four already," Lily protested.

"No, it's only been two. It's just that you ask every ten bloody seconds," Sirius replied in a would-be-patient voice.

Lily sighed and sat down again. In the end, she was glad that she wasn't doing this alone.

She hadn't felt that way at first, though. In fact, she'd felt just the opposite. Lily had gone out on her lunch hour to "run some errands," as she'd told the other people in her department. After a quick stop in a Muggle chemist's, Lily had made her way to a potions shop in Diagon Alley. She'd been quite pleased with the way she'd slipped in the door and moved unobtrusively toward the potions she needed. So far, so good; she hadn't even seen anyone she knew.

Lily had been trying to decide between Madam Meddler's Enlightening Elixir and Tattersall's Telling Tonic when she heard a familiar voice. "Oy, Lily!" Lily started violently and spun round to face Sirius Black, the very last person she wanted to see at that particular moment, the two incriminating vials still clutched in her hands.

Sirius' eyes grew round as he read the labels on the bottles Lily was holding. He opened his mouth, but Lily beat him to it. "Yes, I think I am," Lily cut him off. She could feel her face turning a spectacular shade of scarlet. "But I'm not sure." She added in a rather small voice.

Something he saw in Lily's face (and Lily was willing to bet it was terror) made Sirius close his mouth. "We'll get them both," he said firmly, taking the vials from Lily. "And this one's good as well," Sirius added with suspicious familiarity, grabbing another bottle from the shelf. Lily could only stare at Sirius bewilderedly.

"How much time do you have until you have to be back in the office?" Sirius asked, handling this situation with more sensitivity than she'd ever seen from him, and suddenly Lily was very glad that she and Sirius had happened to be in the same potions shop.

"About forty-five minutes," Lily squeaked, talking around the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. It's the hormones, a little voice in Lily's head whispered.

"Plenty of time," Sirius said decidedly. He made his way to the front of the shop. "Shall we go to your house or mine?"

* * *

They'd gone to Lily and James' flat, and now Lily sat waiting, feeling slightly sick, for the results of her first wizarding pregnancy test.

"It's time," Sirius said finally, and he and Lily raced over to the small portable cauldron containing half of the Enlightening Elixir. They'd boiled the solution in the cauldron according to the instructions, Lily had drunk the other half, and now, according to the little pink bottle, they were supposed to check the contents of the cauldron to find out the results.

"Here goes," Lily said, and, taking a deep breath, looked down into the cauldron that was going to tell her the most important news she'd ever hear in her life.

It was still pink.

"It didn't change," Lily said. She glanced at Sirius. "Does that mean I'm not pregnant?"

"Erm," Sirius consulted the bottle. "No, green means you're not pregnant. Pink means it's still 'searching your body for presence of the miracle of life.'" He wrinkled his nose. "The 'miracle of life?'"

"But it's supposed to take it five minutes to find the sodding miracle!" Lily exclaimed. She glared at Madame Meddler's image on the bottle, which was beaming up at her in blissful ignorance.

"Wait, I think it's changing!" Sirius peered down at the cauldron once more.

The solution was now a bright shade of blue.

"Good Godric," Lily whispered, sinking into a chair. "I'm pregnant."

"Is that – good news?" Sirius asked carefully, clutching the vial of potion a bit tighter as Lily remained silent.

"Yeah," Lily decided at last. "Yeah, I think it is." She grinned suddenly at Sirius. "I'm going to have a baby!"

"Congratulations, Lils," Sirius beamed back at her. "D'you still want to do these others?" he asked, indicating the two other magical tests and the three Muggle ones that remained on the table.

"Yeah, might as well be sure about it," Lily continued to grin like a simpleton. "Hand me the Telling Tonic."

Two wizarding tests and three Muggle ones later, Lily was as certain as she could be without actually seeing a doctor. She and James were going to have a baby.

The thought of James caused Lily's grin to fade a bit. How was she going to tell him? More importantly than that, was he going to be happy about it? Would this baby change everything about their relationship?

"You're not thinking about taking another one of those idiotic Muggle tests are you?" Sirius asked, noticing Lily's thoughtful expression. He'd been trying to find a way to feed the test to Lily until she'd explained to him how it worked. Sirius had been horrified and had gone on about it for five minutes until Lily threatened to feed it to HIM if he didn't shut up about it. That had quieted Sirius in a right hurry, but he'd gone about with a thoroughly disgusted expression on his face ever since.

"No, I was just thinking about what I'm going to say to James," Lily explained. "And how he's going to take the news."

Sirius and Lily winced in perfect unison at the thought. "He'll run completely mad at first," Sirius said matter of factly. "But after he calms down a bit, he'll be overjoyed."

"I hope so," Lily twisted a lock of her hair round her finger anxiously.

"You've got nothing to worry about," Sirius said, putting a hand on Lily's shoulder. "I know James better than anyone, and I promise you, he'll be happy about this."

* * *

A few short hours later, Lily wasn't so sure. It was now eight o' clock, and James still wasn't home. All of the confidence Sirius had managed to inspire Lily with had completely drained away round five-thirty, and now she was just terrified.

Maybe Sirius told James about it and he ran off, Lily speculated, lying on her bed and staring at nothing. Hell, maybe Sirius had told James and he'd died. Expired on the spot. Typical James, to die of shock and leave her to be a single mother. Or maybe he fainted and hit his head and was now lying in a coma at St Mungo's.....

Fortunately, before this train of thought could progress much further, Lily heard the front door open and James' voice calling her name frantically. Lily jumped off the bed and went into the main room to find James, his hair standing on end and clearly frantic with worry.

"Thank Merlin you're all right!" James exclaimed, squeezing her hard enough to crack ribs in his relief.

"I'm fine; why wouldn't I be?" Lily asked warily, pulling back a bit so she could look James in the eye.

"You didn't come to the emergency Order meeting Dumbledore called at five!" James explained, still more than a bit tense. "When I didn't see you there I asked Gideon Prewett if he knew where you were, and he said you sent some excuse about not feeling well and didn't come back after lunch. I thought you were in some sort of trouble or something! What's going on? And what were you doing with this cauldron?" James picked the cauldron up and examined it, frowning at the potion remnants at the bottom.

"I'm not in any trouble or anything," Lily replied, trying to decide the best way to break the news."Why don't we sit down?"

"No, I think I'll stand." It was James' turn to be wary.

"Are you sure?" Lily twirled her hair round her finger. James nodded, clutching the cauldron tighter.

Lily took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant," she said quietly and clearly.

THUNG.

"OWWWW!!!" James had dropped the cauldron on his foot.

"Are you okay?" Lily rushed forward to help him, crouching down on the floor next to where James sat, clutching his squashed foot.

"Are you sure?" James ignored her question, staring at Lily wide-eyed.

"Almost positive," Lily verified. "I'm going to St Mungo's tomorrow just to confirm."

"But you're sure?"

"I took six tests, and they were all positive," Lily was beginning to feel a bit defensive. "Plus, I'm – late, and I'm never late."

"So you're sure?"

"Believe it or not, James, I CAN read directions and piss on a stick," Lily snapped, goaded.

"Piss on a stick?" James wrinkled his nose. "What has that got to do with anything? And why would anybody do that anyway?"

"Never mind," Lily waved the question aside impatiently. "Can you stand up?"

James shook his head. "Just now I think I'd fall right back over." He closed his eyes for a moment.

"So – what do you think?" Lily glanced at James apprehensively.

"Dunno," James replied, opening his eyes again. "I think that just may be the scariest thing I've ever heard in my life."

Lily waited, hardly daring to breathe.

"I should be panicking right about now," James continued thoughtfully. "But for some reason I'm really, really excited instead."

Lily sighed in relief; trust James to describe what she herself was feeling so perfectly. "So you're happy about it?"

"Of course I'm happy about it!" James replied promptly. "I'm a million things right now, and happy is definitely one of them." An enormous grin spread across James' face. "We're having a baby!"

"Yeah, we are!" An answering smile stretched across Lily's face.

Lily and James sat there beaming fatuously at each other for quite a while before they remembered where they were and why they were there. They made their way to the couch, where they immediately collapsed and ordered a takeaway, James telling Lily in a rare burst of culinary adventurousness to order anything she fancied. As it happened, Lily did have a craving for fish and chips, which James consented were edible after an initial period of skepticism.

"Weird to think of us being parents," James mused, toying idly with a chip.

"Yeah, it is, actually," Lily wrinkled her nose wryly at the thought.

"We'll have to be responsible," James continued. "Good Godric, we'll have to start eating healthy food!"

"We do eat healthy food," Lily protested indignantly, stubbornly refusing to look down at the greasy fish and chips.

"We'll have to buy vegetables!" James couldn't seem to stop. "Worse, we'll have to eat them!"

"We have vegetables," Lily felt the need to defend their eating habits.

"Name one vegetable that's in this flat right now," James challenged.

"Good point," Lily said at last. "So we'll buy vegetables. It's not like we didn't eat them before."

"True," James brightened at the thought. "Weird to think we'll have to make someone else eat them."

"Yeah," Lily was beginning to be a bit worried herself. "What if we can't? What if we aren't good parents?"

"We'll be great," James said, trying to be convincing. "You'll be a brilliant mum and hopefully you'll rub off on me."

"What makes you think I'm going to be a brilliant mum?" Lily wanted to know.

"Well..." James stopped to consider. "Well, because girls always seem to know about babies," he finished at last.

"I don't know anything about them," Lily was the one on the verge of panic now. "I've never been anywhere near one, or a pregnant woman either, for that matter."

"It'll be all right," James was completely unequipped to deal with this situation. "Those things – come naturally, you know."

"And how do you know that?" Lily appeared unconvinced, to say nothing of uncomforted. "Have you ever been around babies or pregnant women?"

"I saw a pregnant woman once," James recalled. "My mum's friend was pregnant when she came to visit when I was twelve."

"What was she like?" Lily leaned forward eagerly.

"Erm...." James tried to recall something useful. "I dunno," he said at last.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Lily asked, the hint of panic back in her voice. "You can't remember anything about her?"

"Well, Sirius and I were at my house for Easter holidays," James explained. "And we, er, were usually too busy laughing at her to notice much."

"Laughing at her?" Lily stared.

"Well, we thought it was funny," James defended himself rather lamely. "She was big and round and – "he broke off, seeing Lily's face.

"So you're going to laugh at me?" Lily's voice quavered dangerously, her eyes suspiciously bright.

"Of course not!" James exclaimed, aghast. "It was funny when I was twelve, but not anymore!"

Lily snorted to express her doubt on that point. "It's not exactly comforting to think that our child will have a mother who doesn't know anything about children and a father who's probably less mature than they are," she observed scathingly.

"We'll figure something out," James said with a smirk, putting his arm round Lily and leaning back against the sofa. "Don't we always?"

Lily just rolled her eyes at James' arrogance, comforted in spite of herself.

* * *

Author's Note:

Finally, I managed to write a lighter chapter! I've missed writing this sort of thing, because it's the most fun for me to write, but I just seemed to have one sad plot point after the next. Enjoy the lightness while it lasts, everyone.

Also, I want to thank everyone for their supportive comments about my portrayal of Peter. I have a very difficult time writing him, and I'm glad to know that people think I'm doing an adequate job; it's very encouraging.

Thanks as always to everyone who reviewed. I'd thank people individually, but it's ridiculously late, and I'm very, very tired. So I'll just say again, thanks.

Till next week! Enjoy!


	51. Uncharted Territory

Chapter 50 Uncharted Territory

When they'd initially found out they were going to have a baby, Lily and James had both been inclined to view it as a good thing. But as the weeks went by, they started to feel like they just may have gotten in over their heads this time.

Lily visited a Healer at St Mungo's and a Muggle doctor, both of whom confirmed that she was in fact pregnant and that the baby would be due in early to mid August. Excited though they were, Lily and James decided to put off telling people for a bit in order to give themselves time to get used to the whole idea. However, it turned out that keeping this particular secret wasn't in the cards.

It was during one of their semi-weekly Friday night dinners with their former fellow Gryffindors at the Leaky Cauldron that Lily inadvertently announced their secret. The conversation was centred almost exclusively round Frank and Alice, who had been the subject of last week's emergency Order meeting. They'd been on a routine Order mission the night before, tailing Lucius Malfoy in the hopes of catching him attempting to recruit Death Eater spies.

After countless nights of pointless or dead-end tailing, they'd finally struck it lucky; Malfoy had been meeting with a group of four masked, hooded Death Eaters. Before they could come to their reason for gathering, one of them, a short, rather round figure, had whispered something to Malfoy. Apparently it'd been something along the lines of "Frank and Alice Longbottom are spying on us," because the five Death Eaters had attacked them.

Frank and Alice had defended themselves well enough; one of the Death Eaters had managed to escape, but they'd incapacitated two of them and were dueling with the remaining two when another Dark wizard joined them unexpectedly. Lord Voldemort himself, to be precise.

He'd immediately launched a string of hexes on Alice and Frank unmercifully, keeping them so occupied that the other Death Eaters managed to escape with the injured two. Voldemort himself had disappeared shortly after, leaving Frank and Alice with a few bruises and minor curse aftereffects, but essentially all right.

"One thing's certain: Voldemort didn't want us to see whoever was behind those Death Eater masks," Frank concluded as he finished telling the story for the umpteenth time. "It definitely looks as though we may have stumbled upon our spies."

"And it also seems like that short one who knew you were there was one of them," Kathleen put in shrewdly.

"Why are you lot so sure Malfoy was meeting with spies?" Peter asked, keeping his voice carefully neutral. "It could've been any sort of Death Eater business at all; I'm sure there isn't much of it that Voldemort would want us to see."

"We think Malfoy was meeting with spies because we asked him politely and that's what he told us," Alice snarled sarcastically, glaring at Peter. "Honestly, you were AT the bloody Order meeting, Peter! Clean out your ears once in a while!"

"The short one did rather seem to know someone was there," Frank explained patiently, shooting Peter an apologetic glance. Catching sight of Alice's face, however, Frank turned the glance into a very unconvincing yawn. "We just aren't sure whether that means he or she was the actual Order spy or if they'd just been warned by the Order spy," Frank finished, eyeing Alice warily.

Ever since she'd become pregnant, Alice, generally sweet-natured and only rarely irritable, had undergone what seemed to be a personality reversal; she was inclined to bite everyone's head off for no apparent reason most of the time and only nice on occasion. Everyone and everything appeared to annoy her, especially men; she tolerated Frank rather begrudgingly and other males not at all, especially Peter, James, and Sirius. Most of the others privately wondered how poor Frank was coping, but no one dared ask for fear of Alice overhearing.

Before that particular situation could escalate, however, dinner arrived, distracting everyone. Normally the appetizing smells wafting from the tray would only have reminded Lily of how hungry she was. Today, however, to her horror, they were making her a bit nauseous. More than a bit, actually. In fact, Lily was very much afraid that she was about to sick up, right there in front of everyone.

As unobtrusively as possible, Lily clamped her napkin over her mouth. I am NOT going to vomit, Lily told herself sternly. I will not. I positively refuse.

Unfortunately, no one had informed either her stomach or her rioting hormones about this, and Lily was forced to concede that she was in fact going to vomit. It was now just a matter of whether she was going to do it in a toilet or on the dinner table.

Hand clamped over her mouth like a vice, Lily abandoned all dignity in her mad dash for the loo.

"Lily?" James asked worriedly, starting after her.

"Try not to be any thicker than you can help, James," Alice snarled at James as she pushed past him on her way to the ladies' toilets. "What're you going to do, shout encouragement from the corridor?"

James resisted the preservational instinct that told him to run away from Alice and held his ground. "She might need me," he said stubbornly.

"We'll go see what's wrong," Morwenna interjected smoothly, stepping between Alice and James. And before James could argue further, Alice had shot into the loo, Morwenna, Dorcas, and Kathleen hot on her trail. James sighed and went back to the table, wondering how Frank put up with his genuinely scary wife. He sincerely hoped that pregnancy wouldn't make Lily end up like Alice

Lily eased back from the toilet and, momentarily ignoring all germ considerations, sat on the floor, too dizzy to stand up right away. She closed her eyes and tried to take deep breaths, which unfortunately only seemed to make her sick again, and she got her head over the toilet just in time.

Clammy and exhausted, Lily gingerly sat back again. "Why are you doing this to me NOW?" she asked her stomach resentfully. "The nausea wasn't supposed to happen for another two weeks, and that's definitely one area where I wish you'd been a late bloomer –"

"WHAT?!" a familiar voice shrieked. All of a sudden the stall door hurtled open, and Lily sat blinking up at Alice.

"Hi," Lily said weakly, hoping Alice hadn't connected the dots.

"You're pregnant," Alice said almost accusingly.

"Er –" Lily glanced round her wildly as though seeking help.

"You just said that the nausea wasn't supposed to happen for another two weeks," Alice went on. She threw her arms round Lily in an exuberant hug. "We're going to be pregnant together!"

"What're you shrieking about, Alice?" Kathleen inquired, having just arrived on the scene.

"Lily's pregnant!" Alice announced joyfully.

"REALLY?!" Kathleen squealed. "That's brilliant! Oh, congratulations!"

"Why are you congratulating Lily?" Dorcas wanted to know, she and Morwenna crowding in the doorway behind Kathleen.

Kathleen turned to them. "Lily's pregnant!" she exclaimed

"That's amazing!" Morwenna shrieked.

"Wow!" Dorcas grinned from ear to ear.

"Congratulations!" they bellowed together at Lily from the corridor.

"Thank you," Lily replied rather lamely. This wasn't good. Her parents didn't even know yet, neither did James'. But before Lily could ask her friends to keep this news to themselves, the nausea returned in full force, and Lily was forced to pull away from Alice in a bit of a hurry.

"She's being sick again!" Alice informed the girls in the corridor delightedly. "Can you believe this? Lily and I will have babies together!" Alice threw her arms round the other three in a rare burst of good cheer.

"Er – what's going on?" Frank called. This unexpected excitement over Lily's upset stomach was causing a bit of concern amongst the wizards, or some of them, anyway, and Frank had been sent to investigate.

"Lily's pregnant!" Alice blurted happily. She beamed at everyone. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"What?" Sirius asked, hoping he'd heard wrong. His eyes met James' in mutual understanding. "Didn't quite catch that."

"Lily's pregnant," Peter, who had overheard, reported before Remus could stop him.

"Tactful, Peter," Remus hissed.

"What?" Peter stared at Remus uncomprehendingly for a moment before realization dawned. "Oh." His normally small eyes grew rounder and wider. "OHHH. Sorry about that, James."

"What do you mean, you're sorry?" James felt the need to defend his wife and child.

"Well, did you – er – KNOW?" Peter asked awkwardly, flushing.

"Of course I knew!" James snapped, turning an interesting shade of scarlet. "What're you trying to say?"

"Remus made me think it!" Peter defended himself. Remus merely shook his head.

"Shut it, Wormtail, before Prongs shuts it for you," Sirius advised cheerfully.

"Congratulations, James," Frank said hastily as Peter opened his mouth. Frank looked as though he really meant it, too; clearly he was overjoyed to have another father-to-be to commiserate with.

The congratulations made the rounds of everyone present at the table and started all over again when the witches rejoined them.

"You okay?" James asked warily as Lily slid into her seat next to him, decidedly pale and drained.

"Uh-huh," was all Lily could manage.

"Whatever happened to waiting a while to break the news?" James wanted to know, reassured that he was safe for the moment from any Alice-esque bursts of man hating.

"Alice overheard me talking to myself and guessed," Lily explained, taking the glass of water James was offering to her.

"Why didn't you ask her to keep it a secret?" James asked reasonably.

"Sorry, James, I was too busy trying not to puke all over her to do much damage control," Lily snapped. "Besides," she added with a bit less venom, "look at how happy it's made her. She hasn't shouted at anyone in the last five minutes at least."

"True," James admitted, staring at Alice covertly. She did indeed seem to be delighted, almost more delighted than they were, for Merlin's sake.

* * *

And Alice's happiness didn't diminish over the next few weeks. She spent every possible extra moment with Lily, discussing everything pertaining to babies and pregnancy. Lily was mostly grateful for Alice's presence and advice as her pregnancy symptoms increased. Sadly, Lily's nausea had gotten worse, if anything, and dizzy spells, constant exhaustion, and the perpetual need to pee had joined it. Though Lily didn't go to the loo half as frequently as Alice, who seemed to need to go every fifteen minutes or so.

Worse than any of this (except maybe for the nausea) were the hormones. Lily, not generally a terribly emotional person, now found herself bawling over the stupidest things. She cried when they ran out of milk and sobbed when she accidentally put a shoe on the wrong foot. James had come in toward the end of the shoe debacle and Lily had, to her horror, burst into tears again while she'd been explaining to it James and consequently had relived the entire episode.

For his part, James was completely unequipped to deal with this whole pregnancy situation, but he did his best to be helpful. He read up on the subject and told Lily constantly that what she was doing was normal. Lily seemed to find this information comforting, so James branched out a bit, telling her what, according to the various books, she should be feeling and doing and when.

This didn't go over quite as well, but James just chalked it up to pregnancy mood swings and bought Lily ginger tea and biscuits to help with the nausea, continually brought her small meals and tried to persuade Lily to take folic acid and eat bananas.

The bananas were Sirius' bit to be helpful after he'd read somewhere that potassium was supposed to increase a woman's chances of having a male baby. United in their common desire for a future Marauder to train, James and Sirius had decided that this banana theory couldn't hurt and had gone out to buy all of the bananas and banana-related products they could find to feed to Lily. They'd reached a mutual understanding not to tell Lily exactly whose idea the bananas had been since they had a suspicion that if she knew who had discovered this potassium idea, Lily might be inclined to be skeptical of it.

On top of everything else, Lily and James had decided that they had to tell their parents about Lily's pregnancy. They had been planning to wait till Christmas, but Lily's unfortunate mishap at the Leaky Cauldron made it necessary to inform them before they heard it from Lily and James' friends or any of the undoubtedly many people their mates had told by now.

Mr. and Mrs. Evans were, as expected, just as excited about Lily's pregnancy as they had been about Petunia's and made enthusiastic plans for their future grandchild. Mrs. Evans did warn Lily, however, that Petunia was "a bit put out" by the fact that Lily would be having a baby round the same time she was. James, who had been looking forward to antagonizing Petunia, was disappointed at first that she was only a bit put out until Lily, who was used to her mother's diplomatic tendencies, explained that "a bit put out" translated to "on the rampage." James felt loads better after that.

Mr. and Mrs. Potter were more restrained with their enthusiasm at first. James chalked this up to a combination of worries over the safety of the wizarding world, Lily and James' relative youth, and concern that their irresponsible, troublemaking son would soon be molding an innocent mind. But excitement over having a grandchild eventually won out, and Mrs. Potter began to bombard Lily and James' flat with owls bearing books on pregnancy and child-rearing, food, and lists of names to consider. Mr. Potter gave Lily and James a "think of raising a child the way you would a funnel" lecture, which they laughed themselves sick over afterward (literally, in Lily's case).

The thought of that funnel lecture still brought a grin to James' face days later as he recalled it. The smile faded, however, when he reached the door of his and Lily's flat; one of the worst things about having a pregnant wife was that he never knew what he'd find when he came home. Mostly James didn't mind the new books and food from both of their mums, but he sincerely hoped he wouldn't find Lily throwing up or crying. Or Alice, for that matter.

James clutched the bag of bananas he'd stopped on his way home from work to buy and pushed the door open apprehensively.

No sign of Alice that James could see, but then he didn't see Lily either. James frowned in worry; he was late coming home from work, Lily had had plenty of time to get here from her own job. Then James heard the sound of retching coming from the bathroom and sighed in resignation. Lily was home, all right.

"Lils?" James called, approaching the bathroom cautiously. "You all right?"

"Yeah," Lily's voice answered. When she came emerged a couple of minutes later, James could see she'd been crying as well.

"Did you put your shoe on the wrong foot again?" James asked carefully, keeping his expression neutral. It had not helped matters last time when he'd burst out laughing.

"No," Lily replied, picking up a tissue. "Alice told me the most horrible thing earlier."

"What?" James asked, bracing himself for labour horror stories involving things he did not want to know the clinical names for.

"She-she told me that," Lily took a fortifying breath before she could continue, "she wants to n-name her b-baby –"Lily broke off, dabbing at her eyes.

"Go on," James relaxed a bit.

"She wants to name her baby Nebudchadnezzer," Lily finished at last.

"WHAT?!" James exclaimed, sitting up. "Where in the bloody hell did she come up with Neb-Nebuca –"

"Nebudchadnezzer," Lily supplied tiredly. "She says it's in the Bible."

"I reckon we shouldn't be surprised, really," James said comfortingly, putting an arm round Lily. "After all, she named her owl Myron."

"That's true," Lily winced a bit, remembering. Unable to stop herself, she felt the tears well up again. "Bloody hormones," Lily muttered, fetching a fresh tissue.

"Yeah, well, I just might cry too," James said indignantly. "What a horrible thing to do to your own child!"

"He's going to get teased," Lily said in a small voice, starting to cry again.

"It'll be all right," James said a bit helplessly. "Frank won't let her name their baby Nebooca – oh, sod it – that name."

Lily shot James a scornful glance. "I'd like to see Frank stop her, or rather I wouldn't," she pointed out. "Alice is right scary."

"Good point," James admitted. He searched for something else to distract Lily from her tears. "Er – want a banana?" he asked hopefully, brandishing one at her.

"What is it with you and bananas?" Lily asked suspiciously, eyeing the yellow fruit as though it might be about to eat her.

"Nothing," James maintained innocently, putting the banana away. Lily really didn't need to hear about Sirius' potassium theory right now.

* * *

Christmas arrived, and Lily, James, Sirius, and Mr. and Mrs. Evans all went to James' parents' house for the holiday. Petunia, still in her snit, had decided that she and Vernon would spend Christmas with his family where she would be the only pregnant person present. Lily, who had not been looking forward to the confrontation with her sister, was so relieved by this news that she actually ate a banana.

However, this respite didn't last long; the combined powers of Mrs. Potter and Mrs. Evans drove Lily mad within the first half-hour of her arrival. The two expectant grandmothers gave her endless pregnancy advice and made her cup after cup of ginger tea, which did not help her bladder situation at all. On top of that, Mr. Potter kept asking her if she needed to sit down and her father continually tried to persuade her to eat things. Fed up, Lily finally told the assembled company that she was going to the loo and sneaked off to the kitchen to hide with Wendell the house elf.

James and Sirius, who had gone out to inspect their old Quidditch pitch, found her there a little while later when they came in search of mince pies. Lily was sitting at the kitchen table, nibbling on a mince pie and laughing as Wendell regaled her with stories about James as a child, both before and during his Hogwarts years.

".........ears shriveled for almost an entire week!" Wendell was saying as they came in.

"Did he say why his ears were shriveled?" Lily asked, lips twitching a bit.

"Master James said he'd eaten a shrivelfig because he wanted to see what would happen," Wendell said in his squeaky little voice, shaking his head. "Wendell could have told him what would happen, but Master James likes to find things out for himself. There was another time, when Master James was ten –"

"Wendell!" James cut the house elf off, his face bright red.

"Well, Miss Lily has a right to know, Master James," Wendell said innocently. "Miss Lily's baby might do mad things like Master James did."

Lily and Sirius burst into laughter at this statement, practically wheezing as James shepherded them out of the kitchen, his face almost purple with humiliation.

"I can't believe you didn't tell anyone I shriveled your ears," Lily gasped as soon as they were safely out of earshot. "It's really rather sweet."

"Sweet?" Sirius snorted, clutching a stitch in his side. "Prongs couldn't have told anyone why you'd shriveled his ears without explaining how a love potion had gotten into your goblet."

"What else did Wendell tell you?" James asked, in control of his mortification enough now to speak.

"Nothing much," Lily fought to keep a straight face. "But he did mention something about an owl named Mr. Owl." Lily and Sirius collapsed into giggles once more.

"Guess you won't be naming the baby, Prongs," Sirius gasped.

"Definitely not," Lily agreed, still giggling. "I refuse to call our child Mr. Baby."

"I was six," James protested, blushing again. "And at least I never named anything Nebudchadnezzer."

"What?" Sirius started, forgetting to laugh. Lily, on the other hand, began to chortle in a decidedly hysterical manner. Or at least, she did before she clamped a hand to her mouth and raced hell-bent down the corridor in search of a toilet.

"Who named something Nebudchadnezzer?" Sirius asked again.

"You don't want to know, mate," James replied sagely, clapping a hand on Sirius' shoulder.

* * *

Lily and James were sitting at home in their flat a few days later when there was a knock at the door. Exchanging a wary glance with Lily, James went to open the door, his wand ready, and relaxed visibly when he saw Remus and Kathleen. "Come in," James invited. "Oy, Lils! Remus and Kathleen are here!"

"Hi," Lily greeted their mates, then frowned as she noticed their grim expressions. "Is something wrong?"

Remus and Kathleen exchanged a glance, neither of them wanting to speak. Finally it was Remus who opened his mouth. "There's been another attack," he said finally.

"How bad?" James asked, coming to sit beside Lily.

"Bad," Remus replied grimly. "Fabian and Gideon Prewett are dead." Lily gasped, the only sound in the room.

"What happened?" James wanted to know, gripping Lily's hand.

Gideon and Fabian had been checking up on a group of Muggle borns that the Order had helped to hide, making sure that they were reasonably safe and had everything they needed.

No one had suspected anything was amiss until the Prewett brothers had failed to check in with Moody after their visit. Moody had gone to the house to find the six hidden Muggle borns dead in the house and both of the Prewett brothers lying in the garden, the Dark Mark hovering high above it all.

"We don't know for sure what happened," Remus finished the story tiredly. "Moody thinks it's likely that one group went into the house while another attacked Gideon and Fabian in the garden, but no one knows for sure."

"Someone knows," Kathleen said viciously, speaking up for the first time. "That bloody spy knows, and so do all of the Death Eaters. Probably having a good laugh, the lot of them, over killing two of the best wizards of our generation."

"Kathleen –"Remus began worriedly, but she cut him off.

"No," Kathleen waved off Remus' concern. "I'm sorry. I think I just –should go right now. I need to be by myself." And before anyone could say any more, Kathleen had rushed out of the flat.

"Does Alice know?" Lily asked Remus quietly.

"Yeah," Remus replied, his eyes still on the door Kathleen had disappeared through. "Dumbledore and Moody told her last night. Frank and his parents are with her."

"How long before the word gets out?" James asked. He felt strangely numb and didn't like the feeling at all.

"It might be out already," Remus answered, shrugging. "But if you mean officially – Kathleen said the Daily Prophet will have it on the front page in today's edition."

Kathleen's information had been right on, and by evening, the Prewett brothers' deaths were all the wizarding world could talk about. Both Gideon and Fabian had been highly respected, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding their deaths and their presence at the safe house caused a great deal of speculation.

Alice said very little to anyone, but she appeared determinedly for Auror training and Order meetings despite anything anyone said to her to persuade her to stay home and rest; even Mrs. Longbottom had been unable to sway her.

Alice – along with Frank, Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, Kathleen, Morwenna, Dorcas, and Peter – had questioned everyone she could think of, but the answers were all the same.

It looked as though no one had lived to tell the tale of what had happened to Gideon and Fabian Prewett.

* * *

January 1980 – Two Weeks Later

Severus Snape pulled the hood of his cloak down to further obscure his face as he strode briskly down the sidewalk, intent on his destination.

The first time he'd come here, it had been pure coincidence. Snape had been going for a walk in an attempt to clear his head of the thousands of unwanted images that swirled in it, nothing more.

But since that first time, he'd come here often, whenever his situation became intolerable. Sometimes he'd see her, sometimes he wouldn't, and when he did, he was comforted by the memory of an offer she'd once made him, an offer of help if he ever got into trouble again. And just remembering that, just knowing that help and normalcy and access to Dumbledore was attainable had often helped him to get himself under control again. It was like looking over a precipice; there was comfort in the knowledge that a way out existed, but it was also a reality check, a reminder of how final this way out would ultimately be. And Snape needed the reality check as much as the comfort.

Snape strode faster, trying to keep up with his racing mind. But this time it was different, this time would not be just a reality check. He was going to take the plunge, so to speak.

It was the Prewetts' death that had done it. Snape had been there, he had seen it and heard it and tried not to participate in it. But he'd been powerless to stop it, had watched as others did it.

He'd known Gideon and Fabian Prewett, had always respected them and perhaps even admired them in a way, despite their dissimilar loyalties. They'd always taken top honours, had been Prefects and Head Boys and belonged to a distinguished pureblood family. Aside from that, Snape had never known them to bully younger students or get into confrontations with Slytherins. The Prewett brothers had been astounding wizards and decent people, a rarity, in Snape's experience.

Which was why Snape hadn't cared to watch them die. But the Dark Lord had ordered it after receiving the information from his source inside the Order of the Phoenix. He'd also ordered Snape to go, saying he didn't participate enough in that aspect of being a Death Eater and that he needed to rid himself of his weaknesses.

Whatever the Dark Lord ordered must be done, so Snape had of course complied and Apparated to the Order's safe house, mask in place and wand ready.

There had been two teams, one for the Mudbloods and one for the Prewetts. Snape had been assigned to the Prewetts' team, which had caused him some apprehension, but he'd assumed that since there were five others, he'd be able to get away with very little participation.

He had been getting away with it, but Dolohov, exhilarated with the attack, had shoved Snape forward, telling him to take a turn at it. Severus had stumbled, and his mask had fallen off.

Gideon and Fabian had been bad off but still fighting back to back, facing the circle of Death Eaters as they closed in on them. But as Snape had lurched forward, fumbling for his mask, Fabian Prewett had spotted him.

"Severus?" he'd asked, his voice bewildered. "Severus Snape?"

Snape had jammed his mask and stumbled backward, ice water in his veins. He'd never been called by his name during one of these attacks, and the experience had been stunning, horrifying.

"It wasn't me," he'd wanted, stupidly, to say to Fabian Prewett. "I'm not doing it, I'm only here because my master ordered me to be. I'm not attacking you."

And then Snape had realized, with a jolt, that he might not have thrown hexes and curses at Gideon and Fabian Prewett, but he'd stood and watched, he'd always stood and watched, as others had, descending on the Prewetts like a pack of wild dogs as they'd descended on so many others. They were like animals, WERE animals, crazed with bloodlust. And slowly, Snape had backed away.

"I'm going to assist the others," he'd told Dolohov.

"Just as well, now that these Mudblood lovers have seen you," Dolohov had replied, his attention on the Cruciatus Curse he was performing. "Can't have your cover blown."

Snape shuddered as the memory filled him again, and he walked even faster, almost passing the place. He jerked himself to a stop and waited, heart pounding.

It was a small Muggle shop, only a few streets away from the Ministry's headquarters. It was like countless other shops just like it, but Snape watched the door as though waiting for a lifeline, scarcely even blinking. She had to be there today, he didn't know what he'd do if she weren't.

And then, all of a sudden, there she was, carrying a paper bag. Snape closed his eyes for an instant and reopened them to reassure himself that he wasn't imagining her. But it was Lily Evans.

Actually Lily Potter now, or so he'd heard. She looked rather pale, and no wonder, Snape thought as he recalled that she was in the Order of the Phoenix as well.

Taking a deep breath Snape stepped forward, out of the shadow and into Lily's line of vision.

Lily spotted him, as he'd known she would, and her eyes widened. Slowly, she withdrew her wand from her pocket and trained it on Snape, her gaze never wavering.

"Evans," Snape said, surprised at how hoarse his voice sounded. "I need to talk to you. I need you to get me to Dumbledore."

* * *

Author's Note:

Thanks for all of the reviews last chapter, everyone; glad you enjoyed the lighter note and James' reaction to Lily's announcement. I hope Lily and Alice's pregnancies come off all right in this chapter; like Lily, I know almost nothing about being pregnant. So I had to do tons of research, glancing over my shoulder all the while to make sure no one was watching me and would get the wrong idea.

I was going to mention that Priori Incantatem has been included in a C2 community that you can find on Crystal Rose's bio page. She has stories from genres other than Harry Potter as well; go and look if you have the time.

Also, in answer to your question, bloodthirsty howl, "priori incantatem" is Latin and is the incantation for the wand reversal spell. If you want more information than that, try the Harry Potter Lexicon or re-read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Again, thanks for the reviews. Till next week!


	52. The Tables Turn

Chapter 51 The Tables Turn

Lily studied Snape covertly, glancing at him from under her lashes. He didn't seem at all well; Snape's already sallow complexion was even more pale and sickly, as though he hadn't been out in the sun or eaten properly since graduating from Hogwarts. His hair was disheveled and unwashed, his pupils bloodshot, and the circles under his eyes were deeply etched. All in all, Snape looked like he'd been through hell.

Lily had never been more shocked in her life than she had been when she encountered Snape at the small Muggle shop where she went to buy fizzy drinks and Muggle sweets and to pick things up after work. Lily couldn't have imagined anything more incongruous than the sight of Snape standing outside of that ordinary little shop, his black cloak billowing round him, his hood shading his face.

And asking for her help, no less. "What do you want with Professor Dumbledore?" Lily had asked him warily, feeling the familiar nausea curling in her stomach.

"I need to talk to him," Snape spoke softly and glanced over his shoulder. It reminded Lily of a bad spy film, but somehow she wasn't quite inclined to laugh.

"Well, you could always send him an owl," Lily suggested as casually as possible, her mind spinning with possibilities. "He's probably at Hogwarts for the Christmas holidays."

Snape regarded Lily coldly. "I am not in a position to run the risk of that owl being intercepted," he said rigidly.

Lily simply nodded as though this had confirmed her suspicions. Scowling slightly, Lily ran through all of the courses open to her. Taking Snape home to her own flat was out of the question; if James were to come in and find Severus Snape in his house, he was very likely to hex first and ask questions later. Nor was she eager to involve any of their other friends in her deception, because there was little doubt in Lily's mind that this encounter with Snape would have to remain a secret. And it probably wouldn't do Snape any good to be seen with her either. But Lily didn't want to go anywhere too private, just in case this did in fact turn out to be some sort of Death Eater trap.

"All right," Lily said finally, coming to a decision. She slung her handbag over her shoulder once more. "We need to go to the Hog's Head."

Snape raised a brow in inquiry, wondering why she was taking him to Hogsmeade's dodgiest pub to meet Dumbledore. But Lily merely smiled, deciding not to enlighten Snape further until she had a better grasp of the situation.

Following the Order's protocol for an emergency situation, Lily had asked the barman in the Hog's Head to get a message to Dumbledore. The barman had eyed her narrowly for a moment, then grunted in assent and started off toward the corridor, motioning to them to follow.

And here they were, staring at each other across a table in a private room in the Hog's Head, waiting for Dumbledore to arrive.

Lily shifted a bit in her seat as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Reaching into her handbag, she removed the fizzy drink she'd bought earlier, popped the tab on the can, and took a fortifying gulp. Snape eyed the drink warily as though suspecting that Lily was about to turn into a bat and fly away through the window to summon Dumbledore herself.

"Want some?" Lily asked, resisting the impulse to keel over and pretend to go into convulsions, though it was tempting to find out how Snape would react if she did.

Snape just glared at Lily, apparently deciding not to dignify her question with a response. Note to self: in future, don't make the mistake of assuming Snape must have a sense of humour, Lily grumbled to herself, sipping her drink again.

After what seemed like an interminable amount of time, the door swung open to admit Professor Dumbledore, swathed in a voluminous hooded cloak and wearing a very concerned expression.

"Lily," Dumbledore said, his voice as mild and pleasant as ever despite his concern. "And Severus. What an unexpected and pleasant surprise. Are you both all right?"

"Certainly, Professor," Lily replied, giving him her most reassuring smile.

"I didn't harm Evans, Professor," Snape said stiffly. "I simply asked her to arrange a meeting with you."

"I never assumed that you did Lily any harm, Severus," Dumbledore replied calmly. "What is it that you wish to speak to me about?"

"Perhaps I'll just wait outside," Lily suggested, rising.

"No," Snape waved her back to her seat. "You have a right to hear this as well." He took a deep breath, clearly fortifying himself for whatever he was about to say. "I know about the Order of the Phoenix," he said finally. "And so does the - the Dark Lord. He has a spy within the Order."

Lily glanced at Dumbledore excitedly, but Dumbledore's attention was focused on Snape. "We are aware that there is a spy, Severus," Dumbledore said in the tone Lily remembered well from her Hogwarts days as the one he used when he was determined to get to the bottom of something. "Why are you telling us this?"

"Because you were right," Snape said wearily. "You were right about my – loyalties. And about the Dark Lord and his cause." He shut his eyes briefly, not noticing the intent faces of his audience.

"I can't do it anymore," Snape said abruptly, looking at Dumbledore again. "I cannot pretend to an allegiance that doesn't exist any longer. Merlin knows, I have tried to remain loyal, to do what was asked of me and to uphold traditions that have gone on for centuries, to take the responsibilities that are mine. But I cannot pretend to agree with it any longer, the attacks and torture and killings........."

Snape's voice faltered, and his eyes were far away for a moment, as if he were reliving horrors Lily and Dumbledore couldn't see. He snapped out of it quickly, shaking his head as though to dislodge the images there.

Lily stood up again. "I think I ought to leave the pair of you alone now," she said quietly. Her eyes were more brilliant than usual, as though there might be tears in them, but plainly Lily didn't want anyone to know if there were or not. "I'll wait outside if – well, I'll wait."

For several seconds after the door shut behind Lily, there was no noise in the room. Then Snape began to talk, saying more than he had ever said to anyone in his life.

He spilled it all out, the interest Voldemort had taken in him and the others because of their talents and families, his encounters with Lily Evans and his role in discovering and preventing the attack on Dumbledore and the Wizengamot. Snape confessed about his mission to find the Death Eater spy and Bellatrix's belief that Lily and Dorcas were to blame for Snape's actions, his research for Voldemort and the attacks in Cornwall. He told Dumbledore everything about his involvement with the Death Eaters all the way up to the Prewetts' murder.

"That was the incident that - ended it for me," Snape explained, his voice hoarse now from much unaccustomed speech. "When Fabian – recognized me, I knew I couldn't do it anymore."

"I used to believe it was a lack in me, my aversion to Muggle-baiting and killing," Snape continued, growing detached. "Perhaps it is, but either way, I can't reconcile myself with it any longer."

"Humanity is never a lack, Severus," Dumbledore said quietly. His eyes were as mild and fathomless as ever, which was a distinct relief to Snape; he'd been expecting to see revulsion and hatred there. "Do not blame yourself for possessing it when others didn't."

With a slight flick of his wand, the Headmaster conjured a carafe of water and a glass, pushing both toward Snape. "The Order will protect you," Dumbledore went on as Snape sipped at the water. "You will go into hiding –"

"No." Snape cut Dumbledore off, his tone hard.

"Hiding is the only possible way of keeping yourself at least somewhat safe, Severus," Dumbledore explained smoothly, ignoring Snape's curt attitude.

"I did not come here asking for shelter under your wing, Professor," Snape replied stiffly. "I've come here to offer myself to you as a spy."

There was a momentary pause as Snape's words rang through the room; it seemed, Snape thought with a trace of humour, that someone had at last succeeded in surprising the great Albus Dumbledore.

"I cannot allow you to take such a risk," Dumbledore said, shaking his head. "There is nothing cowardly in asking for help, nor is there any need for you to make this offer in return."

"I don't deserve help, not from you or from anyone." Snape met Dumbledore's blue gaze levelly. "What I am asking of you is a chance to at least attempt to atone for the horrors I committed or did nothing to stop. If you do not accept me as a spy, I will find some other way to use my knowledge and talents to eliminate the Dark Lord's cause."

"And why have you chosen to offer your services to me and to the Order?" Dumbledore asked slowly, his eyes intent on Snape's face.

"Because you are the one wizard that Lord Voldemort fears," Snape answered bluntly. "And therefore, the only wizard who stands any chance of defeating him. If I am going to change my allegiance, I wish to be allied with the winning side."

There was another lengthy pause as Dumbledore studied Snape. Uncomfortable under the scrutiny but seeing the necessity of it, Snape returned Dumbledore's gaze unwaveringly, hoping that Dumbledore could find what he was looking for.

"Very well, Severus," Dumbledore spoke finally. "I accept your offer. Provided that you agree to my terms."

Snape felt relief coursing through his veins, powerful and heady as any adrenaline rush could ever be. "Which are?" he asked with an effort.

"There are only two: one is that you sign a binding magical contract that will prevent you from revealing any names, plans, or locations associated with the Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore stated. "It is not that I don't trust you, Severus, but I made the mistake of trusting erroneously once and I cannot take any further chances with the Order."

"I understand," Snape replied. Inherently distrustful himself, Snape wondered privately why Dumbledore hadn't insisted on a similar contract from each Order member previously. If he had, a spy would have been unable, or at least partially, to report on the Order to the dark Lord.

"And the second," Dumbledore went on, "is that you allow me to teach you Occlumency in order to protect yourself. Lord Voldemort is an accomplished Legilimens, and I will not permit you to take preventable risks with your life."

"Agreed." The enormity of what Snape was doing struck him anew, and he just managed to stop himself from trembling.

Dumbledore extended his hand, eyes twinkling. "In that case, welcome to the Order of the Phoenix, Severus."

Lily eased open the front door of her flat some time later, hoping that James somehow wouldn't be there. She felt dizzy, tired, and sick, not at all in the right frame of mind to make up good excuses.

"Lily! Where in Merlin's name have you been?!" Lily felt familiar arms crush her into a familiar chest and sighed in resignation. She knew her hopes had been in vain, but she had to get lucky sometime, and tonight would have been a brilliant time to start.

"I was on Order business," Lily said into the front of James' robes, her voice muffled. "Sorry to have worried you."

"S'all right," James' attempt at casual wasn't quite coming off; he still held Lily in a death grip. "What were you doing then?"

"Er, Professor Dumbledore and I were recruiting," Lily prevaricated. James' grip relaxed a bit and she took advantage of this momentary lapse to push herself away from him and gasp for air as discreetly as possible. "What's for dinner?"

"You're hungry?" James perked up considerably. "You're actually not sick? Wait right here, I'll get you a banana." James sped off toward the kitchen.

"Bananas make me nauseous," Lily reminded him yet again, resisting the urge to shriek like a fishwife. What was this obsession with bananas? Lily had asked herself and James this question hundreds of times, but neither source had provided a satisfactory answer. What made bananas so special? Maybe there was some magical reason –

The very thought of bananas made Lily's stomach gurgle unpleasantly, and the sight of James reentering the sitting room peeling one was too much for it. Lily clapped a hand to her mouth and bolted for the loo.

"I thought you said you were hungry," James called after her. As the familiar sound of retching reached his ears, James shrugged and bit into the banana with a resigned air. At this rate, HE would be more likely to give birth to a boy than Lily.

Uncomfortable in his best dress robes, James shifted a bit and glanced restlessly round the room for what must have been the thousandth time, not sure why exactly he was so ill at ease.

James, Lily, Sirius, Frank, and Dorcas were all attending the party that Magical Law Enforcement had thrown to celebrate the end of Auror training. It was a small gathering, only the newly graduated trainees, their immediate family members, the Aurors, and a few senior department officials. Standing there in the midst of this very ordinary affair, it was hard for James to believe that his training was over and he was now a full-fledged Dark wizard hunter and expert, as had been intimated in one of the speeches made earlier. He didn't exactly feel prepared –

"What about you? Any thoughts, Potter?" James looked up to find Lily, Sirius, and Mad Eye Moody watching him expectantly.

"Huh?" he glanced round the circle for assistance.

"The baby, Prongs," Sirius prompted impatiently. "Moody just asked if you have any ideas about naming your baby."

"Erm –"James looked helplessly at Lily, who seemed equally blindsided. "Uh – that is – "

"We haven't really talked about it," Lily cut in.

"Don't want to come to any hasty decisions," Moody nodded sagely, politely ignoring Lily and James' dumbfounded expressions. "Not like the Longbottoms. Nebudchadnezzer, my arse. Thank Merlin she came to her senses about that one." With that, Moody stumped off toward the buffet.

"She did?" Lily perked up.

"Alice wants to name it Prewett now," Dorcas reported, having caught the tail end of the conversation.

"Well, it's an improvement," Sirius said doubtfully. "Where is Alice, by the way?"

"Dunno," Dorcas shrugged. "Frank said she was meeting with Dumbledore, but he didn't know what about."

Lily felt a sudden lump in her throat. Alice was hearing about her brothers' death from Snape, Lily was sure of it. Snape had wanted to tell her, and Lily and Dumbledore had agreed that Alice would want to know whatever information was available. The only thing Lily didn't understand was why Dumbledore and Snape had arranged for Alice to find out tonight, during her own graduation party.

"You okay?" James asked anxiously. "Sirius or I could get you some food or a drink."

"Like I'd trust the pair of you to do that," Lily snorted. She didn't even pretend to understand James and Sirius' newfound obsession with potassium, but her tolerance had reached its limit the day before when they'd offered to make her dinner. She'd come into the kitchen to get the plates and caught James stirring bits of banana into her tea while Sirius rubbed a banana half on the chicken. In fact, the whole incident was still a slightly sore point with Lily.

Before James could think up a proper defense, something white caught the corner of his eye. Alice, clad in white dress robes, her hair and expression a bit wild, was talking earnestly to Moody. They were drawing something of a crowd; Frank was making his way to Alice quite swiftly by elbowing people aside and even Bartemius Crouch, the department head, was bearing down on them.

Before Lily, James, Sirius, or Dorcas could go in search of information, Alice herself came rushing toward them, Frank at her heels.

"I've just come from Dumbledore," Alice panted, still out of breath. "There's a Death Eater gathering tonight and I'm leading an Auror raid on it."

"You're LEADING the raid?" Frank exclaimed incredulously. "But you're pregnant! You shouldn't –"

"Thank you SO much for that information, Frank," Alice snapped. "It's a bloody good thing you're here to tell me these things. If you hadn't told me I was pregnant, I would've just thought that I was suffering from an overactive bladder."

"But what if you get hurt?" Frank was only slightly flustered by his wife's sarcasm.

"I'll be careful," Alice replied shortly, softening a bit. "But I'm leading this raid." At Frank's unwilling nod, she turned again to James, Sirius, and Dorcas. "I – found out tonight that one of the Death Eaters who was responsible for killing my brothers will be at that meeting," Alice explained quietly. "Will you join me?"

"I will," James said.

"Absolutely," Dorcas smiled rather grimly.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Sirius pointed out, quirking a brow.

"Oh, shut it, Sirius," Alice scowled, her pregnancy hormones in fine form. "Stop trying to be so bloody cool all of the sodding time. Lily, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure," Lily tried unsuccessfully to hide her smile at Alice's newfound bluntness as she led her into an unoccupied corner of the now-buzzing room.

"Dumbledore told me that you – know," Alice began without preamble as soon as they were a safe distance away. Lily nodded, not sure what she could say.

"When – he – told me, I was, well, upset," Alice bit her lip. "And I was wondering if you could tell him that I know there wasn't anything he could have done to save them."

"I'll tell him, but you could do it yourself, you know." Lily pointed out.

"No," Alice shook her head. "I don't think I could stand to see him again, knowing how he was involved. But if you could tell him that, and if you could thank him for me. He did at least do the right thing after the fact and that took balls, I do have to give him that."

Moving as silently as swiftly as possible, Alice, Frank, James, Sirius, Dorcas, Moody, Dawlish, and Shacklebolt moved seamlessly into position, surrounding the dockside warehouse Alice's source had revealed as the meeting place for tonight.

There would be at least six Death Eaters there, the source had said, because it took six to perform the spell they were planning on completing this evening. Not willing to take any chances, Magical Law Enforcement had sent eight Aurors, the most they could spare, in case the unexpected happened, which seemed to occur fairly frequently when dealing with Death Eaters.

Satisfied that everyone was in position, Alice raised her wand in the air and sent a jet of purple sparks into the sky, the signal to enter and attack. To her left, Frank nodded at her and blasted the door open, allowing her to lead the way.

In almost perfect unison, the three other doors to the warehouse slammed open as well and the eight Aurors streamed in, hexes and shielding spells at the ready.

There were six hooded, masked figures present, gathered round a cauldron. It took them only moments to recover from their surprise before they were returning fire.

Spells, sparks, and hexes flew between the combatants, thickening the air with smoke and noise. James fought back to back with Sirius, dueling with a masked figure he couldn't quite place. He stole a glance at Alice out of the corner of his eye; her mood swings had finally found a deserving target, and Alice was dueling with Dolohov ferociously, focusing all of her energy and attention on bringing him down.

A Choking Charm caught James unawares as he watched Alice and Dolohov, and he managed to roll out of the way just in time, shooting a freezing spell at the culprit in retaliation.

Another Death Eater entered the fray and deflected James' freezing spell with a fire charm, producing a cloud of steam that enveloped the entire room. James pulled his cloak over his mouth, tense and alert for any sign of attack and shocked when none came. When the steam finally faded away, he realized why: the Death Eaters had been using the steam as a cover to make their way to the exits, apparently unable to Disapparate in the warehouse.

"Oy! Sirius! Moody! Dawlish! Everyone! They're getting away!" James bellowed as loudly as he could before starting after them, Sirius following right behind. Dorcas and Shacklebolt started toward another exit, and Dawlish and Moody made for the third.

"Alice! Come on!" Frank shouted, seeing his wife sprinting off in the wrong direction. "They're going that way!"

"Dolohov went through here!" Alice called over her shoulder. "I want Dolohov!"

Frank followed without further comment, concentrating all of his energy on catching up. If Alice was going to take Dolohov, he was going to be there to at least try to protect her.

Dolohov had run into a dingy corridor, carrying the small cauldron as though it were the Holy Grail. Alice and Frank were just in time to see a corner of his black robes disappearing round the corner.

They could hear his footsteps thundering ahead, and then come to an abrupt stop as he reached the room at the end of the corridor. Alice plunged on, determined to catch up, and paused in the doorway of the room, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dark and for Frank to crash to a halt next to her.

"My lord!" Dolohov gasped. "We've been compromised! The potion isn't finished, but I –"

"Where are your manners, Dolohov?" an icy cold, high-pitched voice demanded silkily. "Can you not see that we have visitors?"

Eyes now accustomed, Alice and Frank looked up into the slitlike eyes of Lord Voldemort

The sun had risen before the Aurors left the warehouse by the docks. Exhausted, battered, and triumphant, they returned to Ministry headquarters bearing a book, a potion, and a prisoner.

By the time the Aurors had caught up, the five Death Eaters who fled outside and scattered had managed to Disapparate. Not wasting any time, the Aurors had hurried back inside to search the warehouse very thoroughly for any items or persons of interest that might have been left behind.

It had been Sirius and Moody who had discovered them. They'd ventured to the end of the corridor and found Frank and Alice dueling ferociously with Lord Voldemort, Dolohov lying unconscious on the ground nearby.

Seeing two new opponents preparing to join the battle, Voldemort had offered them all a very amused, very malicious smirk and Disapparated; apparently whatever charm had been cast on the warehouse did not apply to him.

Shaken but basically all right, Alice and Frank transported their prisoner triumphantly into Ministry custody and were then descended upon by assorted Aurors and Ministry officials, all of them clamoring to hear their account of the night's events and Dolohov's capture.

The Daily Prophet made much of the incident as well, calling Frank and Alice and the other Aurors who had been involved in the raid heroes and predicting that the Ministry would be able to obtain all sorts of useful information from Dolohov and the book and potion that had been confiscated.

The Order knew better, though none of its members were inclined to say so. Dolohov's capture was definitely a victory; few of them knew who Dumbledore's source was, but this raid seemed to prove that at last they had a way to get to the Death Eaters before the Order spy did.

The raid was only a small step toward avenging the Prewetts' deaths and putting an end to Voldemort's reign of terror. But finally, it was a step in the right direction.

February 1980

Peter hurried along Diagon Alley, weaving in and out of the crowd in an effort to save time. He was terribly late for lunch with Kathleen, and he HAD to get there before she left.

Since the raid on the Death Eater meeting and Dolohov's capture, Lord Voldemort and Peter's fellow Death Eaters had been in an uproar. The Dark Lord was determined to find out how the Aurors had managed to surprise them at the warehouse, and Lord Voldemort's determination was not something to be taken lightly.

Peter himself had been "questioned" repeatedly about the incident, by both the Dark Lord and by other Death Eaters as well. Peter winced at the memory and tried to push it from his mind.

He couldn't quite blame them for their distrust; Peter was, after all, a spy. Still, he didn't want to give the Dark Lord or the Death Eaters any further reason to distrust him, or, more importantly, any further reason for questioning....

Peter reached the pub where he had arranged to meet Kathleen and scanned the crowded main room for any sign of her. He finally spotted her sitting at a corner table, drinking coffee and holding a large notebook with scraps of parchment stuffed haphazardly between the pages.

"Hi," Peter said, nervously pulling his sleeve down over his left forearm. Even though he kept a Concealing Concoction on it whenever he was around his friends, Peter was paranoid that someone would see his Dark Mark. No matter how many times he told himself that no one outside of the Dark Lord's circle knew what the mark was or what it was for, he was never quite convinced.

"Hi," Kathleen replied briefly before launching into a lengthy and detailed description of her latest findings and theories about the identities of the Ministry and Order spies.

As he listened, Peter felt his stomach drop to his feet and a cold knot of fear take its place. She was so close, too close, to the truth, and it was up to him to keep her away from it, to protect himself and Kathleen and the Dark Lord's circle.

"I've been observing people at the Ministry every chance I get," Kathleen was saying as she took a fortifying sip of her coffee. "I've been looking for people who talk to loads of different people in different departments. After all, Voldemort would want information from more than one office, and the spy – or spies – would have to find a way to get it for him. I can't say I've seen any clear signs of Imperius Curses, but I'm going back on Tuesday, and –"

"Kathleen," Peter cut in, desperate to stop her, "I – I think I might have a lead."

"Really?" Kathleen smiled at him, delighted. "Tell me."

"Well –"Peter's mind was spinning with effort, "you know that bloke Arthur Weasley? He talks to loads of people, he's mostly really well liked. And he's in the Order."

"I did consider him," Kathleen replied, rifling through her notebook, "but I don't think he's senior enough. He simply wouldn't have access to all of the sorts of information Voldemort would need. And his department is too specific; he wouldn't have a reason to get information from, say, Magical Games and Sports or International Magical Cooperation. No, I don't think it's him."

"But he could be using the Imperius Curse to get whatever information he needs from other people," Peter pointed out, hoping he sounded reasonable. "Nobody has access to everything except the Minister of Magic, and we can probably rule him out."

Kathleen giggled at the idea. "True, he could be using the Imperius Curse, but I just don't think it's Arthur Weasley," Kathleen got back to the point. "It's also too neat a fit; there are probably multiple spies."

"I'll look into it again," Peter promised, casting about frantically for another name to distract Kathleen with. "Hey – what about Bartemius Crouch?"

"Crouch?" he certainly had Kathleen's attention now. "Why him?"

"Well, he fits the profile you described," Peter was warming to his idea. "He's very senior, could get information from just about anywhere or anyone, and talks to loads of other important people all the time."

"I hadn't considered him before, I thought he might be too senior," Kathleen was lost in thought. "He's really anti-Dark magic, but it's definitely worth checking out. I'll ask Alice or Dorcas or James or somebody to keep an eye on him."

"I can do it," Peter offered. "We still don't have any really good hard evidence yet, just bits and pieces. I think we should hold off telling the others till then." His heart hammered in his ears as he waited for Kathleen's reply.

"Oh, just admit it, Peter, you're having fun playing reporter," Kathleen teased. "I'll hold off for a bit yet, just to please you."

"Thanks," Peter grinned, a genuine one finally. Kathleen reached over and squeezed Peter's forearm, right on top of his still-painful Dark Mark. Peter flinched involuntarily, pulling his arm away.

"I'm sorry, Peter; are you all right?" Kathleen's brow crinkled in concern.

"Fine," Peter replied uneasily. "Just a bruise from playing Quidditch with James and Remus and Sirius." Kathleen's frown deepened, but she made no further comment, much to Peter's relief. He quickly excused himself and made his way out of the pub.

Striding away, Peter breathed in a deep sigh of relief. He'd managed it, just like he'd managed everything else. All he had to do was go on managing things, and the way was clear.

Peter permitted himself a small smile. For once in his life, he was ahead of the game.

The air among the Order members had been much mire festive since the raid, James reflected as he and Lily rose to go after the meeting. The members were actually laughing and chatting together, almost the way they used to before the spy.

Lily had said very little about this new source of Dumbledore's, but James wasn't stupid. He was fairly sure that she knew at least something about it. James planned to get it out of her eventually, but he knew Lily well enough to know that he wouldn't be able to right now. She was expecting questions; much better to catch her off her guard later on.

"Lily! James! Leaky Cauldron?" Remus called across the room. He stood with Sirius, Peter, Alice, Dorcas, and Frank, all of them clearly expecting Lily and James to join them.

"Oh, go on, Lils," Alice urged. Being touted as a hero had done little to change her sour mood; Alice still had trouble tolerating males, though her attitude toward Frank had improved, and she still preferred Lily's company to almost anyone's.

"I'm not sure," Lily hesitated. "I'm a bit tired." She continued to be exhausted, dizzy, and emotional, though the nausea had reached a more manageable stage at long last.

"Maybe we'll just go home," James shrugged.

Sirius coughed into his fist, a cough that sounded suspiciously like "Old married couple."

"We are not!" James scowled at his best mate. "You're older than I am!"

"Good Godric," Lily said in surprise. "We really ARE an old married couple!" Much to her own disgust, her eyes filled with tears.

Alice handed Lily a handkerchief. "You're NOT old," she said comfortingly. "Just pregnant, something that a git like SIRIUS could never understand." It was a very good thing that Lily and Dorcas were between Alice and Sirius, or he would have been in very real danger of being kicked in some sensitive spot.

"So you'll come then?" Sirius wanted to know.

"Not that you deserve it." James was still sour at being called old and more than a bit cross that Sirius had made Lily cry yet again.

"Come on, Lily," Alice steered her out of the Hog's Head. "Maybe we can find ice cream somewhere. I've been craving banana ice cream lately."

Lily blanched at the idea, then glared accusingly over her shoulder at James, plainly believing that he'd put Alice up to this.

James gave Lily his most innocent expression in return, sincerely hoping that Alice could bully Lily into eating some of it.

"Trust HER to want to eat bananas," Sirius grumbled next to James. "If her current mood rubs off on her baby, she's going to have the most terrifying little monster ever. He'll probably eat yours alive."

"We'll just have to make sure he knows enough jinxes to defend himself." James grinned wickedly. "Besides, you've got to think about this rationally, Padfoot: if Alice wanted YOU to eat banana ice cream with her, would YOU turn her down?"

"Lily hasn't got a chance," Sirius smirked

Author's Note: Sorry it's been such a long wait, everyone. I've been busy with papers and midterms and the like, which hasn't left me much time for writing. But I really appreciate everyone's patience, and to make up for it I'm going to try (try, mind you) to have the next chapter done in less than a week.

As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed. And, theodyssey42, I appreciate the free publicity; glad you enjoy this story despite your dislike of Marauder fiction. )

Also, I wanted to mention that Priori Incantatem is in the C2 Community The Best Harry Potter Fics Out There, which can be found on Mugglenet27's bio page.

Till next time!


	53. Life and Death

Chapter 52 Life and Death

March 1980

Now five months pregnant, Lily was finally beginning to feel better. The nausea returned only when she stood up too fast, and she'd regained her energy. In fact, Lily had never felt more energetic in her life. She felt the sudden, unprecedented urge to clean the flat and spent hours at work and on Order assignments.

All of this newfound energy was a source of great concern to James, who didn't think Lily should lift things or move about too much. He was also worried about Lily's lack of weight gain; the bulge in her abdomen was relatively small as of yet. So James and Sirius (who refused to admit that he was excited about the baby but had practically moved into Lily and James' flat and read their baby books when he thought no one was looking) spent most of their free time persuading Lily to lie down and eat things. Fortunately, they had all but given up on the bananas, which continued to make Lily nauseous.

It was a distinct relief to Lily to escape from the pair of them at work, although even there things weren't precisely normal; the other people in her office refused to allow Lily to participate in the more strenuous parts of charm experimentation. And it seemed like every witch Lily encountered in the entire Ministry of Magic had some sort of pregnancy wisdom to impart.

Feeling stifled, Lily strongly suggested that James spend the coming Saturday night at Sirius' flat. She was shocked at how readily James agreed, but not one to look a gift hippogriff in the mouth, Lily promptly invited Kathleen, Dorcas, Alice, and Morwenna to their flat for a bit of much-needed female company.

Alice was the first to arrive round seven, and was soon followed by Morwenna and Dorcas and finally by Kathleen at eight. What with one thing and another, it had been quite some time since they'd all been together without any of the wizards around, so the witches had loads of catching up to do. Feeling very much as though they were back in their dormitory in Gryffindor Tower, the five settled in Lily's sitting room with an enormous amount of sweets and ice cream and proceeded to catch up.

They heard all about Dorcas' possible interest in Sturgis Podmore and Morwenna's decision to try writing a book, but when asked about her job at the Daily Prophet, Kathleen was surprisingly noncommittal. Alice and Morwenna exchanged a puzzled glance; Kathleen's life was generally an open book, why this sudden secrecy? Morwenna opened her mouth to ask.

"So – what sort of book do you want to write, Morwenna?" Lily cut in hastily, referring to their earlier conversation.

"What? Oh, probably a History of Magic textbook," Morwenna replied, frowning slightly. "The ones we had at Hogwarts were always so boring, and History of Magic is actually quite interesting."

"If you say so," Dorcas raised a skeptical brow in Morwenna's direction.

"Why is it that YOU can eat all you want and you're hardly even showing?" Alice asked Lily grumpily.

"Er –"Lily paused in the act of putting a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth, clearly blindsided.

"I'm loads bigger than you are," Alice eyed Lily's midriff enviously, and Lily fought the urge to fold her arms over her bump protectively.

"You're also an entire month further along than Lily is," Kathleen pointed out reasonably.

Alice just glared at Kathleen. "I'm getting tired of this whole pregnancy bit," she groused. "The only things I seem to do all day long are eat and go to the loo. And to add insult to injury, I went to see my Healer earlier today and she gave me these paper knickers –"Alice began rummaging in her handbag and produced the knickers for her friends' inspection.

"She said my bladder muscles would weaken, so I should start wearing these, just in case," Alice explained, her lips twitching.

She, along with Lily, Morwenna, Dorcas, and Kathleen, began to giggle at the idea.

"Oh come on," Morwenna scoffed, still laughing, "does the Healer think you don't have ANY control?"

"Yeah," Dorcas managed to say, still sniggering. "Just because you'll have to toilet train your baby eventually doesn't mean you should review the process."

Alice began to laugh in earnest, then abruptly stopped and turned a bright shade of pink. "What's wrong?" Lily asked, gasping for breath between giggles.

"I – er – I'm just going to go put these on," Alice muttered, snatching the paper knickers away from Dorcas and dashing for the loo.

Morwenna, Kathleen, and Dorcas began to howl harder at this, but Lily found that the situation wasn't quite so funny to her anymore and made a mental note to invest in some knicker liners as soon as possible.

* * *

It was, James had to admit to himself, very nice to be away from Lily and the continual stress of pregnancy for one night. It felt so amazing, in fact, that James felt a bit guilty over it. Not guilty enough to go home early, however, though James wasn't sure that Lily would have been happy to see him anyway.

Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter had gotten last minute tickets to a Quidditch match and had then gone back to Sirius' flat to drink butterbeers and talk, just like old times.

After everyone had ribbed James soundly about his newly domesticated state, (including an imitation by Peter and Sirius of James hovering over Lily) they moved onto more serious matters: coercing Peter to confess where he was sneaking off to all the time.

"I'm not sneaking off!" Peter protested when James introduced the subject.

"Don't try to come off as any more of a git than you already are," Sirius snorted. "We're not blind, deaf, and stupid, you know, mate."

"'No, I can't go out with you lot, I've got to get home,'" James took his turn at mimicking, though he wasn't quite as effective as Sirius. "Bollocks!"

"There are ways of making him talk," Sirius observed ominously. "Peter's tongue always did loosen a bit when you threatened him with a Bat Bogey Hex."

"And it always loosened all the way when you actually did it," James grinned at Peter, who gulped, then he and Sirius turned their heads reflexively toward Remus, waiting for his inevitable diplomatic protest.

"And then we'll feed Peter to a hippogriff," James said loudly, staring hard at Remus.

"But first we'll let a troll have its way with him," Sirius added at an even greater volume, waving his hand in front of Remus' eyes. "What in bloody hell's eating you, Moony?"

"Sorry," Remus shrugged. "I wasn't really listening."

James, Sirius, and Peter exchanged glances. "But you ALWAYS play peacemaker for the lot of us," James pointed out. "You even used to do it in the hospital wing during the full moon when Sirius and Peter and I argued about what to do that night, and you could barely even sit up then."

"It's just –"Remus began, then stopped.

"Go on," James, Peter, and Sirius urged in unison.

"I'm just a bit worried about Kathleen," Remus muttered, glancing down.

"Why?" Peter's brow furrowed.

"She works all the time, and she always seems so distracted," Remus explained, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I've tried talking to her about it, but she always just says that she can't talk about what she's working on right now, and when she can she'll tell me. Has Kathleen –"Remus paused, hesitating. "Well, has she said anything to any of you or to Lily about being unhappy? Is she unhappy with me?"

Sirius, James, and Peter each shook their heads. "Lily hasn't said anything to me about Kathleen either," James added, frowning. "But I'll ask her if you like."

"No, I'll ask her myself," Remus said, shoulders slumping again. "Thanks though."

The silence that followed was long and awkward as Sirius, James, and Peter looked anywhere but at Remus and tried to think of something to say.

"Maybe you should try giving Kathleen's sister a beard," Sirius said into the silence. "It worked for Prongs, didn't it?"

He, James, and Peter burst into laughter, and even Remus had to smile. The four Marauders began to talk about more neutral topics, but none of them forgot about Kathleen.

* * *

Lily shuddered slightly in the still-chilly March evening, pulling her cloak tighter round her as she walked into the Hog's Head. She was a bit late for a meeting with Dumbledore, which Lily imagined had something to do with Severus Snape.

Lily pulled the hood back from her face and glanced round the pub for the barman as usual. However, she wasn't expecting to spot her husband, who didn't seem at all shocked to see her.

"Hi," Lily said, wondering what James' presence meant. "Is Dumbledore anywhere around?"

"He had to leave," James replied. "Something to do with Peeves, some chandeliers, and a couple of first years. He told me to ask you to go and check up on Flamel with me."

Nicolas Flamel was one of the wizards that the Order was hiding; he owned the only known Philosopher's Stone in the world, which made him an inevitable target for Lord Voldemort, or so Dumbledore was inclined to believe.

"Sure," Lily replied, relaxing a bit. Apparently James didn't know about Snape, which was definitely a good thing as Lily wasn't quite sure she felt up to dealing with James' certain reaction to that news. "Shall we go?"

Lily and James pulled their hoods back on, exited the pub, and Disapparated, reappearing in a quiet residential London neighbourhood. "Come on," James said in an undertone, and started toward the townhouse that housed Flamel and his wife.

Lily followed, but before she had taken two steps, she stopped short and put her hands tentatively to her middle.

"What's wrong?" James asked sharply, spinning round when he heard Lily stop. "Lily?" She didn't answer; all of her attention focused on her stomach.

Really worried now, James touched her arm cautiously. Finally Lily looked up, wearing a bemused expression on her face. "I felt something," she said uncertainly. "I think the baby just moved."

"Really?" Tentatively, James reached out and put his hand on Lily's stomach, concentrating all of his senses on it. "I can't feel anything," he said at last, disappointed.

"It's very slight," Lily explained. "It sort of tickles, like champagne bubbles are floating round in there."

"Maybe you ought to go home," James suggested anxiously. "It's cold out here, and it's not very safe...."

Lily shook her head. "It's all right," she said, taking one hand from her midriff and putting it in James'.

James opened his mouth to protest further, but a popping sound interrupted him before the words could form. Lily and James both spun round, wands drawn, and Lily quickly pulled the folds of her cloak over her middle, concealing the swelling in her stomach.

A hooded, masked figure stood quite close to them, wand drawn. "If it isn't Hogwarts' perfect couple, all grown up and still together," a familiar voice singsonged from behind the mask.

Lily felt a stab of annoyance. "You can take the mask off now, Bellatrix," she sighed, and was astounded when Bellatrix actually complied.

"What do you want?" James asked, hoping they could play this off. "We've got better things to do than stand round here trading insults with you all night."

Bellatrix's smile widened. "So do I," she replied. "We've come to make you show us where Flamel is."

"Never heard of him," Lily lied coolly. "And what do you mean 'we,' unless you're referring to your split personalities?"

"My master and I have come," Bellatrix was grinning like a jack o' lantern now, "for Nicolas Flamel."

"Good luck with that, since he isn't here," James shot back.

"Is he not?" inquired a new voice, one that neither Lily nor James had any trouble placing. James gripped his wand tighter as Lord Voldemort stepped from the shadows, terror for Lily and the baby coursing through him.

Quick as lightning, Bellatrix lunged toward Lily with her wand outstretched, a hissing noise emitting from deep within her throat. "Conglacio!" James roared, and watched with satisfaction as his well-timed Freezing Spell spread throughout Bellatrix's body, rendering her immobile.

A fleeting expression of distress passed across Lord Voldemort's face. "You will regret that," he said lazily, and hurled a ball of flame toward them.

James deflected the flames and turned them back toward Voldemort. "Lily, go!" he whispered urgently as Voldemort vanished the fire. "Get out of here!"

"Are you mad?!" Lily hissed back. "I'm not leaving without you!"

Before James could argue further, he was nearly struck with a bolt of purple light, and then there was no more time to bicker as Lily and James dueled ferociously with Lord Voldemort while Bellatrix stood frozen, her eyes livid.

James shielded Lily as best he could and so far she didn't seem to be taking too many hits, but he couldn't guarantee anything, which made him sick with fear and rage.

The Freezing Spell had worn off now, and Bellatrix was going for Lily with all of the single-minded insanity she was capable of, shrieking and hissing as she cast spells and deflected others. By some sort of agreement, spoken or unspoken, Voldemort was allowing Bellatrix the pleasure of taking Lily on alone. James cast anxious glances in Lily's direction when he could spare them, but so far she seemed to be doing all right.

And then suddenly he couldn't breathe, the world was hazy with little black dots, and the ground was much farther away than it used to be. James struggled against the unseen force that was grinding his throat shut, but it didn't seem to be doing any good. More and more black spots danced before his eyes and James felt his grip on consciousness slipping away....

Lily stared in horror for a precious instant as Voldemort's Choking Charm dangled James in the air, his face going blue as he gasped for air.

"You'll wish your death was so easy by the time I've finished with you," Bellatrix uttered the threat smoothly, standing less than a metre away from Lily now.

With a speed born of desperation, Lily reached forward and yanked Bellatrix in front of her, holding her there with one arm, and put her wand to Bellatrix's throat. Lily turned them slowly toward Voldemort, her eyes hard in the dim light.

"I'll do it," she said simply, tightening her grip on Bellatrix and prodding her slightly with the wand tip. "I swear to Merlin that I'll bloody do it."

"You haven't the courage, Mudblood," There was the tiniest trace of uncertainty in Voldmort's voice.

"Try. Me." Lily enunciated clearly.

Ever so slowly, Voldemort began to lower James to the ground, loosening the invisible grip he had round James' neck.

Lily waited until James staggered away from Voldemort, coughing and clutching at his throat, before she backed away, bringing Bellatrix with her. Lily flicked her gaze toward James, who came to stand beside her, still out of breath but with his wand ready. Quickly, he yanked Bellatrix's wand from her hand and snapped it in two, throwing the pieces into a nearby hedge.

"We'll be taking her with us," Lily said, indicating toward Bellatrix with a jerk of her head. "Try to stop us and she won't like at all what happens to her. Neither will you."

Lily never did fully understand how it happened; one minute she was standing there with her wand pressed to Bellatrix's throat, in full command of the situation, and the next she and James were lying on the ground, Voldemort and Bellatrix nothing but a memory.

"Are you all right?" Lily asked, sitting up. She put a concerned hand out toward James.

"I'm fine," James rasped, shaking her hand off.

"What –"Lily began, but James didn't let her finish.

"Why didn't you just go when you had the chance?" he demanded furiously. "You're pregnant, for Merlin's sake! Voldemort could have hurt the baby!"

"I was NOT going to leave you here to duel with Voldemort and Bellatrix, who are in a dead heat for the title of Biggest Nutter Alive, by yourself!" Lily shot back. "What sort of mother would I be if I let my baby's father die?"

"An alive one!" James retorted.

"Oh, shut up, James!" Lily snapped. "Just shut up! Things will probably change once I actually have the baby, but for now you're the most important thing in my life, so you'd bloody well better get used to the idea because I am not going to leave you alone to die like some sort of sodding martyr just because you tell me to!"

James fought back the grin that seemed determined to force its way onto his lips at Lily's outburst. "Just promise me that you'll make sure the baby's safe before you worry about me or anything else."

Lily snorted, which, under the circumstances, James took for agreement.

"Come on," James put his arm round Lily. "Let's go home."

"But someone has to tell Dumbledore about Voldemort and how close he was to Nicolas Flamel," Lily protested.

"But you should go home and rest," James protested.

Lily fought back the urge to tear her hair out and scream. "If anybody needs to rest, it's you," she pointed out rather reasonably under the circumstances. "You took loads more than I did."

"But you're –"James began.

"Don't say it," Lily warned. She would not, could not, give up the Order or the fight against Voldemort, even if it would make James happy. The work she did for the Order meant too much to her for that. Lily's eyes met James,' trying to convey the gist of it to him.

"All right, we'll stop off at the Hog's Head first," James amended.

"Thank you," Lily gave James a dazzling smile, then Disapparated. Sighing, James raised his own wand and followed suit.

* * *

April 1980

Lily made her way slowly toward the rows of fireplaces on the Atrium level of the Ministry, one hand placed absentmindedly on her stomach. The baby was moving more and more often, but it was still something of a novelty for her. According to all of the stories Lily had heard and the books she had read, she'd be heartily sick of it before long, so Lily planned to enjoy it while she could.

As Lily made her gradual way, someone pushed past her, a someone who was very familiar. "Kathleen!" Lily called. "Wait!"

But Kathleen seemed not to hear her; she continued toward the fireplaces at a near run, tossed in a pinch of Floo powder, and had disappeared into the green flames by the time Lily reached her.

Lily felt her face form itself into a frown. What had that been about?

Peter sat in the small Muggle park Kathleen had asked him to meet her in, his anxiety growing by the minute. This wasn't good, he could feel it in his bones.

For months now he'd managed to keep Kathleen safely away from the real trail, feeding her one bogus clue after another. But Peter had a sneaking suspicion that he might not be so lucky this time. He tried to organize his thoughts, to come up with good and plausible reasons why implausible people could be spies....

"Peter." Kathleen had slid onto the bench next to him almost soundlessly, giving Peter quite a start. The shock worsened when he turned to look at Kathleen's face: she was pale and wild-eyed, as if she'd just received a shock. And with a jolt, Peter realized that he'd failed. She knew.

"I got your message. What's so urgent?" Peter fought to sound normal.

"Peter, it's Augustus Rookwood," Kathleen whispered, sounding panicky. "Augustus Rookwood is the Ministry spy."

Peter felt inevitability come crashing down on him. "How do you know?" he whispered back.

"I saw him use the Imperius Curse just now," Kathleen replied simply. "I was coming out of the loo and I heard a noise coming from the men's room, like two people were arguing. So I cracked open the door to take a look and there was Rookwood arguing with some bloke I didn't know. He was saying that he wouldn't do it anymore, that he couldn't give him any more information, and Rookwood pulled out his wand and said 'Imperio!' and the man's face went blank. Rookwood told him to bring him some sort of potion, and the man agreed."

"Did Rookwood see you?" Peter's mouth felt like cotton.

"No, I'm nearly positive," Kathleen shook her head. "Peter, we've got to tell Dumbledore; he'll know what to do. Is there some way for Order members to get in touch with him? Could you ask him to meet me or something?"

"Yeah," Peter replied, thinking fast. "Yeah, I'll send the message. You go straight home, don't talk to anyone or tell anyone what you know, not even Remus. And don't open the door to anyone until I come; I'll bring Dumbledore and Remus and we can tell them. All right?"

"All right," a look of relief spread across Kathleen's face. "Thank Merlin for you, Peter."

"Oh, don't say that," Peter kept his voice light. "You go home; I'll be there as soon as I can."

As soon as Kathleen was safely off, Peter turned back toward the Ministry, his feet like lead. It was out of his hands now.

* * *

Several hours later, Peter stood outside the door of Remus and Kathleen's flat, a hooded figure standing next to him. Glancing at his companion for confirmation, Peter knocked firmly on the door. "It's me," he called, feeling a bit sick.

The deadbolt slid out of place and there was Kathleen. "Thank Merlin you've come," she whispered. "I was going mad sitting here by myself. Remus is out, he's doing some sort of Order thing – oh sorry, please come in." Kathleen stepped aside to allow them access and shut the door behind them, sliding the latch back in.

"Thank you for coming, Profess –" the words died on Kathleen's lips as Peter's companion pulled back his hood. "Oh, no. Oh – oh no. Not you."

"Kathleen Kirkpatrick, isn't it?" Augustus Rookwood's voice was smooth, businesslike.

Kathleen drew her wand from her pocket, training it on Rookwood. "Stay away from me," she ordered, her voice not quite steady. "I don't know what you've done to Peter, but – Oh." Kathleen's gaze shifted to Rookwood's companion as realization dawned across her features. "You didn't do anything to him, did you?" she asked Rookwood quietly. "You didn't have to. You're the other spy, aren't you, Peter?"

"Kathleen," Peter sobbed, spreading his hands in an appeal to the disgust in her eyes. "You – you don't understand. You don't know what it's like, what I've been through -"

"Expelliarmus!" Kathleen's wand flew into Rookwood's hand, and he carefully pocketed his own. Kathleen's eyes widened in horror.

"Strangulo!" Peter looked away as the familiar sounds of the Choking Charm filled the otherwise silent room.

"It's done." Peter glanced up to see Rookwood regarding him contemptuously. Quickly, Peter fumbled for his own wand, preparing to launch the Dark Mark into the air. But Rookwood stopped him before he could finish the incantation.

"The first rule of spying, Pettigrew: never leave a connection between yourself and your crimes."

Rookwood raised Kathleen's wand once more and tipped the furniture over, making sure that any drawers were pulled out.

Apparently satisfied, Rookwood snapped Kathleen's wand in two very deliberately, then lit the pieces using his own wand. When Kathleen's wand was in ashes, Rookwood dusted his hands and drew his hood back over his head. "We're ready now. Do something to make the door appear damaged on your way out."

Peter pulled on his own hood and made his way to the door more slowly, averting his eyes from the shape on the floor.

* * *

Kathleen's death hit the former Gryffindors like a tidal wave, knocking them all off their feet and leaving them cold and shocked in its wake.

Remus was the one who had found her, strangled on the floor of their flat. He'd summoned the Department of Magical Catastrophes as well as the Aurors on call, who just happened to be James and Sirius.

"I'm sorry, Mr Lupin," one of the Magical Catastrophe wizards, Cornelius Fudge, had said sympathetically. "But there's no evidence that Miss Kirkpatrick was killed by magic or for any magical reason. I'm afraid there's nothing further for us to investigate; we don't deal with Muggle criminals."

"But she was working on some sort of story for the Daily Prophet," Remus insisted bewilderedly, James and Sirius on either side of him. "Her – her notebooks –"

"I'm sorry," Fudge insisted again, his polite smile still in place, "but we must be going now; there's been a Death Eater raid in Nottingham. Please contact our department if there's any new magical evidence."

"Don't worry, Remus," James said helplessly, knowing any comfort he could offer right now would be useless. "We'll look for clues. We'll get more Aurors in here, and we'll find out what happened."

But a thorough search of the flat failed to turn up anything out of the ordinary. It did indeed appear as though Kathleen had been a victim of Muggle street crime.

Remus worked tirelessly over the next three weeks, appealing to both the Magical Law Enforcement Office and the Department of Magical Catastrophes. He also scoured the flat and all of Kathleen's belongings for clues and used all of the Order's contacts and resources, determined to discover some shred of evidence that would help him find out what had happened to Kathleen.

But when the Magical Law Enforcement Office rejected Remus' appeal for the sixth time and informed him that six was the maximum number of appeals allowed on one case, Remus seemed to lose his momentum. He left Sirius' flat and checked into a hotel, and nobody heard from him for twelve days.

Finally, at Morwenna's insistence, James, Lily, Sirius, Alice, Frank, and Dorcas agreed to accompany her on an "intervention" and MAKE Remus accept their help. Peter, who had been avoiding all of them since Kathleen's death, had declined to participate, in spite of Morwenna and Alice's combined efforts.

The seven of them entered Remus' hotel and Morwenna and Lily approached the desk clerk to get Remus' room number.

"D'you honestly think this is going to work?" Sirius whispered to James.

"Dunno," James replied. "But we have to try something."

"On the other hand," Sirius mused, "Alice just might be the one to scare Remus out of his –"

"WHAT?!" Morwenna shrieked from the concierge desk. Sirius abandoned his sentence as he, James, Dorcas, and Frank sprinted over, Alice hurrying as fast as she could in their wake.

"He's – he's gone," Lily said simply, tears beginning to fall down her cheeks. "He left this at the desk."

Lily held out an envelope bearing James, Peter, and Sirius' names. Sirius tore it open and began to read aloud:

"Dear James, Peter, and Sirius:

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you this in person or thank you for all of your help, but I couldn't see or talk to anyone, not even to you, my closest and most trusted friends. I've gone away for a while. I need to be alone to find a way to come to terms with Kathleen's death on my own.

"Thank the others and apologise to Professor Dumbledore for me; tell him I'm sorry to abandon his cause when he needs people the most. But just now I can't face even that sort of work; just now even that feels pointless to me.

"Please don't worry about me, and remember that I won't be gone forever. I know you'll understand this as you have so many other things about me.

"Your friend,

"Remus Lupin"

* * *

"Maybe we could name the baby Kathleen if it's a girl."

Lily glanced round at James, startled to hear another voice after having been silent for so long. She and James had come home from the hotel and collapsed together on the couch; neither of them had moved or spoken since.

"Yeah, I think I'd like that," Lily said at last.

"Unless you wanted to carry on your family's flower tradition." James looked dubious.

"What's the matter with that?" Lily wanted to know.

"Nothing," James said diplomatically. "Lily's a very nice name. So is Petunia."

Lily rolled her eyes but declined to further a discussion that was almost inevitably going to hurt her feelings. "You seemed so set on having a boy, I wasn't sure you'd even thought about a girl," she said instead.

James shrugged. "I've had to entertain the possibility," he answered cryptically, thinking about the utter failure of his banana campaign.

"Well, what if it IS a boy?" Lily wanted to know. "What do you want to name him?"

"How about Porskoff?" James had given the matter a lot of thought.

"Porskoff?" Lily wrinkled her nose. "It sounds like a fish or something. Where'd you come up with that?"

"It just happens to be one of the definitive Chaser maneuvers," James retorted, stung.

"We aren't naming our baby after a Quidditch play," Lily protested. "Besides, Porskoff Potter? If that doesn't scream 'tease me....'"

"Well, what about Sirius?" James wanted to know.

"What about him?"

"No, we could name our baby Sirius."

"Not that I don't love Sirius, but is he what we want our baby to aspire to?" Lily asked delicately.

"Yes!" James was beginning to feel a bit indignant. "Sirius is fun, and smart, and he's loyal and talented...."

"....And ran away from home at the age of sixteen, is commitment-phobic, hates his parents, and drives a flying motorbike," Lily finished for him.

"Point taken," James said after a moment's pause. "If you're so smart, what do YOU want to name this baby?"

"Crikey!" Lily exclaimed, putting her hand to her stomach.

"And you think Crikey Potter sounds better than Porskoff?" James cocked a brow. "That's REALLY stupid."

"No, you git, the baby just kicked me! Honestly!" Lily glared.

"The baby kicked? Hard enough for me to feel it?" James pressed his hand to Lily's stomach.

"Hard enough for my kidneys to feel bruised," Lily winced. "There he or she goes again."

"Wow," James grinned from ear to ear. "Hi – er – "

"Mr. Baby?" Lily suggested, smirking.

James smirked back at her. "And when Mr. Baby is old enough, I'm telling him that you were the one who called him that."

"Not to mention the one that prevented him from being named Porskoff," Lily pointed out.

"There he goes again," James glanced up at Lily. "It kind of makes it seem real, doesn't it? Like the baby's actually there and not just this invisible thing."

"Yeah," Lily agreed, smiling. "It does." She looked down at James, who was watching her middle in fascination. "We could always name the baby after you."

James looked up, startled. "And you think I'm someone our baby should aspire to?"

"Well, you ARE his father," Lily pointed out.

"And I AM pretty wonderful," James smirked in that way that used to make Lily want to kick him. Hell, it STILL made Lily want to kick him, but she restrained herself with some effort and settled for a Prefect Glare of Death instead.

Hopefully some things weren't genetic.

* * *

Author's Note: Sigh. That was a very difficult chapter for me to write. I'm very fond of Kathleen and I was extremely sorry to have to kill her off. Plus it only increased my desire to have Peter get hit by a bus.

Thanks for all of the reviews, everyone; I appreciate the feedback (happy birthday to Tabitha78, by the way). Speaking of feedback, I've had several people mention that they think this story is becoming too depressing. Unfortunately, what happens to Lily and James and their friends is a tragedy; it's going to continue to be depressing if I want to be faithful to canon (which I do). I'll do my best to include as many light notes as possible, though.

Till next time!


	54. Ready or Not

Chapter 53 Ready Or Not 

June 1980

Another week, another Order meeting, James thought as he watched his fellow Order members collect their belongings and prepare to leave. It was their first large-scale meeting since Kathleen's death and Remus' disappearance, and the entire Order had been a bit subdued tonight, especially James, Lily, Sirius, Alice, Frank, Dorcas, and Peter.

It had been weeks since they'd found his note, and still no word from Remus. It made James sick to think about him having to cope with the full moon by himself; Remus had always been so worried about accidentally hurting or even killing someone in his animal form, and James, Sirius, and Peter weren't there to help him now. James knew that Sirius and Peter worried about it too, but they rarely mentioned it to one another. None of them knew what Remus was doing and it just made it that much more depressing to speculate about it.

The sound of a creaking chair distracted James from his upsetting line of thought and he turned to see Lily quietly struggling to get out of her seat. Now more than seven months pregnant, Lily was finding her ever expanding abdomen to be a bit of a liability.

"Let me help you," James said immediately, jumping to his feet and extending his hand.

Lily watched James move with something like envy on her face. "No, thanks," she replied a bit stiffly. "You won't be here to help me all the time, so I've got to be able to do it myself."

"Erm – ok…." James didn't really get it, but apparently it was a matter of principle. Instead, he did the prudent thing and watched expressionlessly as Lily struggled to her feet, pink with effort, and immediately put her hands to the small of her back, as though the area ached.

Lily had been a bit moody lately, (although she still didn't hold a candle to Alice) ever since she'd found out that Petunia had given birth to a baby boy. Lily had actually been happy for her sister, in spite of the fact that Petunia had named the baby Dudley, and had wanted to go and visit Petunia and Dudley in hospital until Mrs. Evans told her that Petunia didn't want to see her. James had wanted to go to the hospital just to spite them, but Lily had been very hurt over the whole incident. Apparently motherhood had not made Petunia more tolerant.

They were some of the few remaining Order members now; nearly all of the others had dispersed, leaving in small groups to avoid appearing suspicious. Dumbledore and Moody lingered, however, talking in hushed voices in one corner of the room. Not wanting to disturb them, Lily and James walked as quietly as possible to the door where Sirius, Peter, Alice, Frank, and Dorcas waited for them, yawning and looking bleary-eyed. Dumbledore had been trying to vary the times of their Order meetings lately to avoid detection, and today's meeting had begun at half-past seven on a Saturday morning, which was not many members' most alert time.

"May we have a word with all of you before you go?" Professor Dumbledore and Moody had finished their conversation and were now standing in front of the former Gryffindors, their expressions solemn.

"Sure," James replied, glancing round him for confirmation. The seven took seats and waited as the last few Order members trickled out. As soon as they had, Moody shut the door and sealed it with a locking charm. James and Sirius exchanged glances, but decided not to comment as yet.

Dumbledore and Moody turned their chairs to face the rest of them and sat down wearing nearly identical serious expressions. "Did Kathleen speak to any of you about what she was working on before she died?" Dumbledore asked without preamble, his eyes scrutinizing each one in turn.

Lily, Alice, and Dorcas exchanged glances. "Lily?" Dumbledore prompted.

"Well, she didn't say anything to us exactly," Lily hedged. "It was more what she didn't say."

"Kathleen is – was – always very open about everything," Dorcas explained. "But the last time we were all together, she was very –"

"Closemouthed," Alice supplied. "Kathleen, Morwenna, Dorcas, and I all went to Lily's flat a few weeks before Kathleen died, and she didn't say much when we asked her about work."

"Did she talk to any of you after that? About her work or anything else?" Moody pressed.

Lily, Alice, and Dorcas exchanged another glance. "That was the last time any of us talked to her," Lily said simply. "Had an actual conversation with her, I mean. Kathleen always seemed to be working, but she would never talk about it."

"Did she speak with any of you?" Moody's magical eye rested briefly on James, Sirius, Peter, and Frank, each of whom shook their heads in turn.

"But Remus mentioned once that she was acting a bit strange," Sirius added. "It was the same night that Alice was talking about, about three weeks before Kathleen's – murder."

"He said that she was acting distant and being secretive," Peter piped up. "Remus thought maybe she was unhappy."

"Why are you asking all of these questions?" James wanted to know. "Do you know something about Kathleen that you're not telling us?"

Moody and Dumbledore's eyes met briefly, as though in silent agreement. "Yes," Dumbledore answered finally. "Before she died, Kathleen was trying to uncover the Ministry spy."

"What?!" Alice stared.

"But how do you –" Peter began.

"About a year ago, Kathleen came to me and told me that she was going to try and find out who the Ministry and Order spies were," Moody elaborated. "Asked me for advice, wanted to know who I thought they were. I tried to talk her out of it at first, but she was determined. After that she updated me on her search every once in a while. The last time she came to see me was about two months before she died. She didn't say it in so many words, but we both knew she was getting closer." Moody paused significantly.

"You don't think Kathleen was killed by a random Muggle criminal," Lily divided her gaze between Moody and Dumbledore.

"No, we do not, Lily," Dumbledore said quietly.

"It's too big a coincidence," Moody growled. "A reporter who just happens to have been investigating possible spies in the Ministry is killed during a robbery in her flat? Don't think so."

"And Kathleen's wand and notebooks were never found," Dumbledore took up the story. "A very large coincidence indeed."

"So Kathleen probably knew," Alice wondered aloud, putting a hand to her bump absentmindedly. "Kathleen might have found out who the spies were and they might have killed her." Frank put his arm round Alice, but nobody seemed to be able to think of anything to say.

"Is there any way to find out?" Peter broke the silence a few minutes later. "I mean, do you have any idea who the spy is, or can you find out somehow?"

Dumbledore and Moody exchanged still more eye contact, giving the distinct impression that they had not revealed everything. "We were hoping that you lot could help us with that," Moody said gruffly.

"Do you think that it was one of us?" Dorcas frowned.

Yet another exchange of glances. "We do not suspect anyone in this room of being a spy," Dumbledore said softly, deliberately.

"You suspect Remus, don't you, Professor?" Sirius didn't really have to ask.

James shook his head, slowly at first, then more and more emphatically. "No," he said flatly. "No. Remus would never do that. He'd never betray our trust; we're his friends. No one is more devoted to the Order than Remus is.

"And Remus adored Kathleen," Lily put in, slipping her hand into James' and squeezing tight. "He'd never have killed her in cold blood, no matter what."

"No one here wants to believe this of Lupin," Moody gave Lily and James a level stare. "But we can't afford not to look at the facts. Remus would have been in the perfect position to find out was Kathleen was up to; he lived with her."

Remus is also one of the few people in the Order who has reason to be against the Ministry after its prejudice against him." Dumbledore's eyes bored meaningfully into James'.

"But you know Remus," James protested. "He never holds a grudge about – prejudices." James had to stop himself from saying more, because now Dorcas, Alice, and Frank were all regarding James curiously. Feeling a bit helpless, James looked to Sirius for support. "Tell them, Sirius."

"Do you have any proof other than your suspicions?" Sirius studiously avoided James' eye.

"If we'd had proof, Black, we'd hardly have needed to come to you lot," Moody scoffed. "We'd have – taken matters into our own hands already."

"Is there anyone who knows where Remus Lupin is at present?" Dumbledore's voice had a decidedly sad undertone. Each person shook his or her head in turn, even James, hating that he was forced to admit defeat.

Dumbledore sighed. "The case against Remus would not have been half so incriminating had he not disappeared," he admitted frankly.

"Do you have anyone looking for Remus?" Dorcas wanted to know.

"Yes," Moody replied. "But no luck so far; Lupin had a significant head start."

"What do you mean head start?" James demanded. "Remus is not some sort of fugitive, like some criminal or traitor."

"We do not know that, James," Dumbledore reminded him gently. "As painful as it is to contemplate, someone inside the Order IS a criminal and a traitor." Dumbledore rose suddenly, as if he couldn't bear to sit there any longer. "I'm afraid I must be going; I have an appointment at the Hog's Head shortly. But if any of you learn anything about Remus or Kathleen, please come to me with it. The Order's safety might depend upon it." Taking this as their cue to leave, Lily, James, Sirius, Peter, Alice, Dorcas, and Frank all rose and collected their things, only half listening to Moody and Dumbledore.

"But this is important, Dumbledore," Moody protested, frowning. "What do you have at the Hog's Head?"

"An interview with a potential Divination professor," Dumbledore replied.

"Rather woolly subject, if you ask me," Moody snorted.

"I am inclined to agree with you," Dumbledore smiled slightly. "If Miss Sybill Trelawney proves to be anything other than a solid prospect, I believe I shall be rather inclined to do away with Divination entirely."

With that, Professor Dumbledore swept from the room, his robes twirling in his wake.

* * *

Once outside, the former Gryffindors quickly dispersed, Dorcas, Alice, and Frank to their respective homes to catch up on some much-needed sleep, and James, Lily, Sirius, and Peter, as if by mutual consent, to Lily and James' flat to go over all that had happened at today's meeting.

James fumed silently, but he waited until they had all Apparated to the flat and were safely ensconced in the sitting room before opening his mouth. "How can you believe that Remus is a spy?" he whirled on Sirius furiously.

"I never said that I believed Remus was a spy," Sirius replied evenly.

"But you didn't defend him, and that's almost the same thing," James stared accusingly at his best mate. "Remus would have defended you, you know he would have!"

"I would defend him, Prongs, but the fact of the matter is that he ran away," Sirius was a bit less calm now. "You can't hide from the facts just because Remus is – or was – our friend. All of those things that Dumbledore and Moody mentioned are true, and you know that Dumbledore would never accuse anyone lightly. Just stop being so bloody indignant for one second and look at the big picture. You can't afford not to." Sirius' eyes flicked briefly to Lily and her impressive bump.

"I refuse to believe this of Remus," James glared back at Sirius, stubborn. "He wouldn't do that. He couldn't kill Kathleen or sell the Order out to Voldemort."

"We aren't saying that he did," Peter's voice squeaked and wobbled and he had to wipe his sweaty hands on his trousers, but he spoke nevertheless. "But Remus is a werewolf, James, and werewolves are Dark creatures. And Remus did disappear; he could be on some sort of holiday, but he could also be working for Voldemort somewhere."

Lily, James, and Sirius all stared at Peter, unused to arguments from him.

"That is just the sort of anti-werewolf prejudice that keeps people like Remus from having good jobs and normal lives in the wizarding world, Peter," It was Lily's turn to glare. "You can't call Remus a spy just because he's a werewolf." James shot Peter and Sirius a smug look.

"But you also can't refuse to look at what's right in front of you, James," Lily rubbed her temples tiredly. "I know that Remus is your friend and you want to defend him. He's my friend too. But Sirius was right when he said that Dumbledore doesn't accuse people lightly. And Remus isn't here to prove or disprove Moody and Dumbledore's theory."

"I can't believe you would agree with this," James frowned.

"I don't agree; innocent until proven guilty, after all," Lily reminded him. "I'm saying that you shouldn't be any more blind than you can help. Merlin knows that there's enough we don't know without ignoring anything." Catching sight of James' expression, Lily softened a bit, leaning over to kiss him lightly. "I don't want to believe this of Remus either, but I don't want to ignore what we heard today either. I trust Dumbledore. I just hope he's wrong this time."

"Don't we all," Sirius flopped down next to Lily on the sofa.

"I ought to be going now," Peter got to his feet, still clearly uncomfortable. "I'll see you lot later."

"Have fun." Sirius quirked a brow suggestively. Peter flushed and muttered something no one else caught before letting himself out.

"What was that all about?" Lily wanted to know.

James shrugged, scooting over so he could pull Lily's feet into his lap and rub them. "Dunno. He's always disappearing lately."

"I think he's got a girl," Sirius added his two Knuts.

"You always think Peter has a girl," Lily scoffed.

"Well, it has to happen sooner or later, even for little twats like Wormtail," Sirius pointed out.

"How long has he been like this?" Lily asked, frowning slightly. James and Sirius looked at each other.

"A couple of months," Sirius suggested.

"Maybe longer," James added.

"And you haven't asked him?" Lily glanced from one to the other incredulously.

"We've asked him," James defended himself. "He just doesn't want to talk about it. Peter's always been a bit secretive, he likes to go off on his own sometimes."

"Maybe you ought to ask him again," Lily suggested, her frown deepening. "Just in case he knows something he isn't telling us."

* * *

July 1980

But as quickly as Lily's concern over Peter had appeared, it went away again. Over the next month, Peter was underfoot almost continually, taking a new interest in Lily and Alice's pregnancy and asking questions about due dates and the sex of their babies. Lily managed to tolerate Peter's questioning most of the time, but Alice didn't put up with it very well at all, which was unfortunate as Peter spent loads more time with Alice and Frank than he did with Lily and James.

Alice grew increasingly nervous as her due date approached in the middle of the month, then reached a new level of irritability when the due date came and went with no baby. Her stomach had reached massive proportions, and as Alice was so short anyway, she appeared to be one big walking belly, which did not help her disposition any.

Lily was still one of the few whose company she wanted, and as they were both on maternity leave now, she spent a good deal of her time at Lily and James' flat. Mrs. Evans was there quite often also, dividing her time between her daughters, and Alice enjoyed having a mother figure around to give her advice.

"I haven't seen my feet in more than four months," Alice said suddenly one afternoon. She and Lily had been sitting in rather morose silence, as Alice was nearly two weeks overdue and Lily was about two and a half weeks away from her due date.

"Huh?" Lily had been stroking her bump and silently wondering if she really did have only two and a half more weeks or if she was doomed to share Alice's fate.

"My feet," Alice repeated. "I haven't seen them up close in more than four months. Frank has to help me put my shoes on. What if they've become deformed or something from neglect?"

"They haven't become deformed." It was a rather half-hearted protest, since Lily suddenly found herself wondering when she had last seen her own feet.

"But what if they have?" Alice was growing distressed. She struggled in vain to bend far enough to see her feet and failed.

"Of course your feet haven't become deformed," Lily snapped, growing impatient with Alice's descent into paranoia, especially since Alice was dragging Lily down with her.

"I'm sorry," Alice sighed and propped one elbow on her immense belly, resting her chin on her hand. "I just feel like I've BEEN pregnant forever, and I'm going to BE pregnant forever. Last night I dreamt that I was pregnant with an elephant."

"You aren't THAT big," Lily said loyally.

"Not that," Alice waved her off impatiently. "Elephants have a gestation period of a year and a half, and so, apparently, do I." Alice scowled fiercely down at her bump. "Come out!" she ordered it, poking her belly. "Come out, come out, COME OUT!"

"Erm, I don't think that's going to work," Lily pointed out delicately.

"Well, something's got to," Alice was still glowering down at her stomach. "He or she was due in the middle of July. The bloody month's nearly over now, and still no bloody baby!"

"Someone at work told me that spicy food is supposed to help," Lily offered.

"I tried that last week, and no cigar," Alice shook her head.

"Exercise?" Lily suggested, reaching for the nearest pregnancy manual.

"I've done aerobics for an hour every morning this week," Alice replied. "Although, in my current state, it just kind of looks like I'm bouncing aimlessly around."

"Sex?" Lily looked up, a puzzled expression on her face, and met Alice's equally confused stare.

"How is that…..?" Alice began, then shook her head. "Do you know, I'm not even going to ask."

"Good call," Lily wrinkled her forehead. "It doesn't make any sense even with the explanation."

"But it's worth a try," Alice said thoughtfully, seeming to have come to a decision. She heaved herself to her feet, wobbling precariously as she regained her balance. "I'm going to go home and do aerobics and order a curry takeaway while I wait for Frank to come home."

"Good luck," Lily called as Alice waddled purposefully across the apartment and opened the front door.

"Thanks," Alice smiled briefly and was gone.

* * *

July 31, 1980

"Tell me again why we're doing this," Peter grumbled as he and Sirius trudged down the sidewalk toward a Muggle teashop.

"Because James got called away to help Moody with some sort of assignment and Lily will be all alone and stood up if we don't go and meet her," Sirius repeated for the fourth time since they'd left the Ministry office. "And if you ask me again, I'll stick your wand someplace REALLY unpleasant."

"All I did was ask," Peter pointed out resentfully, warming up to his complaints. But before he could do any more than that, they spotted Lily sitting at a little table outside of the teashop, a book propped on her stomach so she could read.

"Oy! Lils!" Sirius called, striding over to her.

"Hi!" Lily smiled brightly at Sirius and Peter. "I didn't know you lot were joining us. Where is James, by the way?"

"He got tied up at work," Sirius explained, "so he sent us along to cheer you up."

"Tied up how, exactly?" Lily was doing her best not to appear disappointed, but it showed.

"Dunno," Sirius replied, flopping down in the chair across from Lily's. "He got called on some sort of team thing. But we could imitate him for you if you like."

"Maybe later," Lily said hastily, remembering what had happened to Alice whenever she laughed too hard.

"So what brings you to this bit of London anyway?" Peter asked, pulling up a chair.

"I was visiting Alice in hospital," Lily replied. "She had her baby last night."

"Took her long enough," Sirius muttered.

"What did she – er – end up naming it?" Peter was very carefully not looking at Sirius.

"He's a boy and she named him Neville," Lily answered. "He's really sweet, and Alice and Frank are really happy. In fact, I think it's the best mood I've seen Alice in for the last nine months."

"Bloody HELL!" Peter exclaimed, scowling.

"Pay up, Wormtail," Sirius grinned.

"You were betting about what Alice would name her baby?" Lily raised one brow.

"We never said that," Sirius gave Lily his most innocent smile, which wasn't really very convincing.

"Brilliant, just brilliant," Lily shook her head in disgust. "You couldn't have let me in on it?"

Sirius and Peter just stared at her, feeling that they were in uncharted territory. "So what were the terms?" Lily asked to break the awkward silence.

"Er, Peter bet that Alice would name the baby Nebudchadnezzer," Sirius had recovered from his shock first. "And I bet that she'd name it something else unfortunate."

"Neville," Peter shook his head in disgust.

"Sour grapes, mate," Sirius smirked. "You've got to learn to think outside the box." He turned to Lily. "Speaking of babies, how's yours? Kicking much right now?"

Lily shook her head. "He's been unusually quiet today," she said, glancing down reflexively. "He's probably waiting until I try to sleep, because then he can keep me awake." Lily shifted uncomfortably in her chair. The back pain was a bit worse than usual today.

"Want to walk?" Sirius asked, noticing her pained expression.

"Yeah, a walk would be nice," Lily tried to struggle out of the chair on her own, but she was eventually forced to concede to defeat and accept Sirius and Peter's help. Finally, all three were standing, and they made their way down the road, Lily feeling like some sort of barge being towed by two tugboats.

As they walked, Lily told them all about her visit to St Mungo's and Frank and Alice's new baby. Peter was a good deal more interested than Lily had thought he would be, and Sirius was doing his best to keep from revealing his own interest as well as his secretly-acquired baby knowledge.

"So what did it?" Sirius wanted to know after Lily had finished telling them about her conversation with Alice. "The spicy food, the exercise, or the sex?"

"Er, I'm not sure, really," Lily pressed both hands into the small of her back; the ache there had been growing steadily worse. "It might have been all three. When she finally went into labour, Alice said that she'd just eaten spicy food after exercising and – well, she didn't exactly SAY that they were having sex, but –" Lily broke off as a searing pain ripped the length of her spine. She closed her eyes till it passed, and when she opened them again, it was to find herself standing in a puddle.

Sirius and Peter stared at the puddle silently. "It's all right, Lily," Peter said awkwardly, not quite meeting her eye. "We won't tell anybody."

"No! It's not – I mean it's – I think my waters just broke!" Lily stared wildly from one to the other. She put both hands to her belly, as though testing it.

"You mean you're going to have the baby?" Sirius stared back, dumbfounded.

An expression of terror suddenly slid across Peter's face. "But you CAN'T have the baby NOW," he almost shrieked. "It's still July! You can't have the baby in July! It's supposed to come in August!"

"Don't wet yourself, Wormtail," Sirius eyed him warily. "It's the last day of July, and it's ok for the baby to be a bit early – what's so bad about July anyway?"

"It's – unlucky," Peter explained lamely. He was still visibly upset.

"Well, labour can take hours," Sirius pointed out reassuringly. "It could be August 1st by the time Lily has the baby."

"Thanks, Sirius," Lily shot him a filthy look, still clutching her stomach. "Thanks LOADS." She doubled over a bit, gasping, as a contraction tore through her. "They're coming faster."

"Do we have time to make it to the hospital?" Peter wondered aloud.

"Yes," Lily said through gritted teeth, fighting off a mental image of Sirius and Peter delivering her baby for her on a sidewalk. "We have to."

"I'll go and get my motorbike," Sirius took charge. "And then I'll drive you to St Mungo's, and Peter can meet us there."

"Brilliant!" Peter was pathetically relieved at the idea of a plan. "You just have to hold it until then, Lily! Maybe if you cross your legs…." Catching sight of Lily's expression, Peter trailed off. Sirius just looked at him, shaking his head in disgust.

"I'll go get the bike," Sirius glanced round to make sure no one was watching, then raised his wand, preparing to Disapparate.

"Wait!" Lily clutched his arm, between contractions for the moment. "Someone has to get word to James!"

"Don't worry about that," Sirius said rather cryptically, raising his wand again. "I'll be right back." He disappeared with a pop.

Lily watched him go rather forlornly. It was not at all comforting to be left in the middle of the street, in labour and with no one but Peter for help. Just then, another contraction came, and Lily gasped with the pain of it.

"It'll be all right, Lily," Peter took her hand.

"They're five minutes apart now," Lily gritted her teeth.

"Maybe you ought to sit down," Peter led her to a nearby bench, and they sat, waiting for Sirius.

* * *

It wasn't long before Sirius arrived (the speed actually would have been remarkable if any of them had had time to contemplate it) and the next thing Lily knew, she was gliding over the London traffic, holding on to Sirius for dear life and praying that the invisibility spell wouldn't wear off. Even she had to admit, they reached St Mungo's in record time.

Sirius grabbed Lily's hand and practically dragged her to the condemned department store that served as the hospital's street entrance. "She's in labour," he told the mannequin in the window, who nodded and beckoned them forward.

Sirius towed Lily through the glass window and charged over to the reception desk. "She's in labour," he announced to the receptionist.

"First floor," the receptionist, a plump, kindly looking middle-aged witch, informed them. She collected a sheaf of parchment from a desk drawer. "Are you the father?"

"No!" Lily and Sirius said in perfect unison, matching expressions of horror on their faces.

"Hmm," the receptionist eyed them warily. "Well, go on up; the lifts are down the corridor there." She smiled at Lily. "Congratulations, dear."

Lily, rather breathless in the midst of another contraction, couldn't manage more than a wave before Sirius was lugging her along again.

They repeated the process on the first floor, and Lily finally found herself ensconced in a hospital bed just down the corridor from Alice's, with two assistant Healers preparing to give her a potion for the pain. Now that the initial emergency was over, Lily was beginning to feel just a bit scared. More than a bit, actually, and all she wanted was for James to be there with her.

The thought of James brought tears to Lily's eyes, but she blinked them back determinedly, glancing round for anything to distract her. "What're you doing?" she asked Sirius, watching him pull a mirror from his cloak pocket.

"Getting in touch with James," Sirius replied after the two assistant Healers had left the potion and departed. "We used to use these mirrors to talk to each other when we were in separate detentions at Hogwarts."

Sirius tapped the mirror with his wand. "James Potter," he said to it, and the mirror began to swirl. "Looks like he can't answer right now," Sirius said after a moment, lowering the mirror. "But he'll know to call me back."

"But what if he doesn't check the mirror in time?" Lily said in a small voice, curling her body round her stomach.

"He'll get here, don't worry," Sirius squeezed Lily's hand.

Just then Peter burst in, out of breath and thoroughly frazzled. "There you are! I couldn't find you anywhere!" he exclaimed, collapsing into the visitors' chair. "I sent an owl to James and left a note on his desk, just like you told me to, and then I tried sending an owl to Lily's parents and Morwenna but nobody answered me, so I thought I'd better just get here, so I Apparated out front, but I miscalculated and wound up in the street and was almost hit by this bus. Then I didn't know where they put the people having babies, so I was wandering round on the fifth floor with all of the mad people, and –" Peter broke off as Lily panted her way through another contraction. "Breathe, Lily," he said, clearly panicked. "Just breathe – Ooh, I know! Put your head between your knees!"

Lily just glanced from her bump to her knees and then back to Peter, finding no reason to dignify his proposition with a response. She gripped Sirius' hand tighter. "Why don't you go down the corridor and tell Alice that Lily's having her baby?" Sirius suggested.

"Good idea," Peter hurried from the room.

"He'll probably get lost," Lily got out between gritted teeth.

"Exactly," Sirius grinned at Lily, then winced a bit as her grip tightened.

"In that case, thank you," Lily gasped as the contraction subsided.

"Why don't you take this now?" Sirius indicated the potion, flexing his hand as discreetly as possible. Lily tilted the little bottle to her mouth and drained it in one swallow, feeling instantly mellow.

A soft tinkling noise sounded from Sirius' pocket. "It must be James," Sirius removed the mirror and tapped it with his wand.

"James?" Lily reached for the mirror, but before she could close her hands round it, another contraction stalled her.

"Lily? I found Alice," Peter called, appearing in the doorway. "She's going to work up some sort of levitation spell and come in here and see you –"

"Excuse me, Mrs. Potter?" a witch in lime green robes appeared in the doorway, parchment in hand, and moved to the bed to examine Lily.

Sirius carried the mirror into a corner of the room "Padfoot? Padfoot? Are you there?" James in the mirror asked.

"Yeah, mate, I'm here," Sirius held the mirror up so that his own face was reflected in it.

"Is everything all right? Is Lily ok?" James ran a hand through his hair.

"She's fine, or she will be. Lily's in labour, Prongs."

"WHAT?!" James' voice came through with exceptional volume. "But it's early! How can she be in labour?" James took a deep breath, obviously trying to regain control of himself. "Where are you?"

"We're at St Mungo's, me and Lily and Peter," Sirius glanced over his shoulder to see Peter babbling on and Lily glaring at him as though she wished him dead, the Healer examining her obliviously. "Look, I've got to go and help Lily before she kills Peter, but you've got to hurry and get here, mate. The contractions are less than five minutes apart."

"I'm on my way," James promised, running his hand through his hair again. "I'll explain to Moody and then I'll be there. Tell her to – hold it or something."

"Or something," Sirius prevaricated, wincing as he thought about what Lily would say if he relayed that part of James' message to her.

"I'm going now. Take care of her till I get there," James' wand appeared in the mirror now as James prepared to sign off.

"Of course," Sirius promised. "Just hurry, Prongs."

"Was that James? Is he coming?" Lily asked as Sirius rejoined her.

"He's on his way," Sirius took her hand again.

"Are you the father?" the Healer inquired.

"No!" Lily and Sirius shouted it this time.

"Well, the father had better get here soon," the Healer observed. "We've probably still got a bit of time, but then it's hard to tell with first babies."

The door opened yet again, and Alice floated in on a chair. "Lily!" she exclaimed, steering her chair to the bed so that she could embrace her friend. "First we're pregnant together, and now we're having babies together! This is famous!"

"Mrs. Longbottom, you need to return to bed!" the Healer seemed shocked.

"In just a minute," Alice waved her off. "Where's James?"

"Tied up at work," Lily twisted her blanket nervously through her fingers.

"Oh," Alice frowned. "How far apart are the contractions?"

"Less than five minutes," Lily almost whispered.

"It'll be all right," Alice hugged Lily again.

A very tense half-hour passed, during which a team of Healers Banished Alice to her room, Peter was exiled to the corridor, and three more people asked if Sirius was the father.

Lily was just beginning to wonder how much more of this she could take when the door banged open, and there was James, sprinting toward her.

Lily's face broke into a dazzling smile. "You got here!" she exclaimed, holding out her arms as he skidded to a stop next to the bed.

"Of course I did," James squeezed Lily as tightly as he dared, relieved beyond words that he hadn't been too late. He leaned down to kiss Lily, but she held up a hand to stop him.

"Don't kiss me!" Lily exclaimed. "I've been sweating like a pig; I probably smell terrible –"

"Oh, good Godric!" James glowered. But before he could pursue the matter, another contraction had begun, and Lily clasped his hand, catching James off guard.

"Oww!" he shouted, grimacing. Lily scowled at him and resisted the temptation to take a handful of hair.

"Nice to see you haven't lost you way with women," Sirius smirked.

"I'd like to see you not say anything while Lily grinds your bones together!" James winced.

Sirius held up his own reddened hand in illustration, his smirk widening.

"More company!" the Healer breezed into the room; thankfully she didn't seem to notice the expressions on the three occupants' faces. "Erm, is this one the father?" she asked Lily tentatively.

"Yeah, that's me," James waved his free hand. The smile quickly faded from his face as he watched the Healer lift the blanket from Lily's lap and begin probing round down there quite unceremoniously. James opened his mouth and quickly shut it again.

"It hit me the same way when I first saw her do it," Sirius whispered to James. "But when you stop to think about how many – "

"Well, you have excellent timing," the Healer glanced up at James. "This baby is ready to be born."

"What?!" It was Lily and James' turn to speak in unison. Sirius made his way discreetly to the door and slipped into the corridor.

"You're ready to start pushing," the Healer declared. "I'll just pop down the corridor for a moment and then we'll be ready." She made her way out of the room, heedless of the soon-to-be-parents' dumbfounded expressions.

"Looks like this is it," James felt the excitement begin to well up in the pit of his stomach.

"Yeah, this is it," Lily tried to smile and failed miserably. "I'm really scared," she added in a small voice.

James hugged Lily tightly. "You're going to be fine," he said, hoping he sounded as confident as he wanted to sound.

"Well, I'm scared about giving birth, too," Lily looked up at James. "But our entire lives are about to change; nothing will ever be the same after this. Nothing." Lily looked down at her expanded abdomen, still unable to believe that a baby was about to come out of there. "What if we aren't ready for that? I don't want to screw everything up for this baby."

"You're not going to screw up our baby," James pushed a few strands of red hair back from Lily's face. You're the smartest, kindest person I know; you'll be an amazing mum by default. And of course we aren't ready for this; by all accounts, no one ever is."

"Thanks," Lily managed to smile this time. "I'm really, REALLY glad you're here."

"Right then, I'm back," the Healer bustled back into the room, her arms full of all sorts of equipment, ranging from the mundane to the don't-want-to-ask. "Are you ready?"

"Ready," James said firmly, renewing his grip on Lily's hand. He could feel his knees trembling slightly, and some part of him wanted nothing more than to hide in a corner, but Lily needed him; James didn't have time to contemplate anything else.

Lily looked up at James' face one more time, her eyes searching his. James smirked at her, that old, arrogant, hellion grin that used to infuriate her. And somehow, it was exactly what Lily needed to see. Lily turned back to the Healer, clutching James' hand even tighter.

"Ready."

* * *

Author's Note: Harry is (literally) almost here! Yay! Sorry to cut it off where I did, but the birth scene turned out to be longer than I expected, and I wanted to get the chapter out tonight because it's been a while since I updated. I'll try to have the next one done ASAP, but unfortunately, the schoolwork continues, so we'll have to see…..

It was nice to see the outpouring of sadness over Kathleen; I had no idea that she was such a favourite character. I really was sad to have to kill her off, and I blatantly stuck Peter's brush with death by bus in this chapter to make me feel better.

As always, thank to everyone for their reviews. I did have some specific people I wanted to mention and a couple of C2 Communities to promote, but it's ridiculously late right now, I'm supposed to be working on a research paper, and I can't remember any of it, so I'll try to do them next chapter.

Hope you enjoy!


	55. The Calm Before the Storm

Chapter 54 The Calm Before the Storm

Six hours later, James staggered into the lounge where Sirius, Peter, Morwenna, Dorcas, Mr. and Mrs. Potter, and Mr. and Mrs. Evans sat, waiting for news. Seeing James coming, they all stopped talking and turned to watch him, their expressions expectant.

Tired as he was, James' face split into a grin. "It's a boy."

The room erupted into chaos at the news; Sirius let out a whoop and spun Morwenna off her feet, Dorcas dashed down the corridor to tell Alice, James found himself sandwiched between his parents, and Mr. and Mrs. Evans bombarded James with questions and congratulations.

Finally free of bodies, James informed everyone that Lily and the baby were fine; Lily was sleeping and the Healers had taken the baby away to bathe him. Everyone continued celebrating, laughing and talking and asking questions, until a Healer hurried over to shush them all and kick the visitors out of the hospital. After being informed in no uncertain terms that they wouldn't be permitted to see Lily and the baby tonight, the four proud grandparents decided to return to home to inform people of the good news and to catch a few hours' sleep before returning to visit in the morning. Dorcas suggested that she, Mrwenna, Sirius, and Peter all go out to celebrate, but Peter begged off, claiming to be too exhausted.

"You coming, Sirius?" Dorcas wanted to know.

"Be right down," Sirius replied. "I'll catch up with you." Shrugging, Dorcas and Morwenna gave James their parting congratulations to pass on to Lily and left.

"So?" Sirius demanded as soon as they were alone.

"So what?" James had no patience for guessing games at the moment.

"So what was it like?" Sirius wanted to know. James flopped into one of the waiting area chairs as he considered.

"It was………" he began, then stopped. Even now he didn't quite know how to describe it, even to his best friend. The hours of waiting, letting Lily squeeze his hand while she made sounds that had made James feel sick to his stomach. James had been terrified, thoroughly grossed out, and inexplicably fascinated by the whole ordeal, and when the Healer had come round the bed, placed a squirming bundle in Lily's arms, and said: "It's a boy!" James had felt an overwhelming joy mix with the terror. Those feelings had only intensified when he'd actually held the baby, a tiny, red, slimy, wrinkly thing wrapped in a blue blanket. "It was all right," James finished lamely.

"All right?!" Sirius stared. "All right?! After all of the horror stories about blood and screaming and pain and all of that miracle of life crap, it was just all right?"

"Don't get me wrong, it was disgusting," James shuddered slightly as he got to his feet. Of course, he'd known in theory what was supposed to happen, what was supposed to be coming out of where. But deep down, James hadn't actually believed it until he'd seen with his own eyes….James shivered again.

"What's the baby – like?" Sirius seemed embarrassed by his eagerness to know, but continued to ask questions regardless.

"Well, he's small, and red and wrinkly, and…….and he's amazing, actually," James grinned.

"Congratulations, mate," Sirius said gruffly, patting James awkwardly on the back.

"Thanks," James returned the gesture. "I'd take you to see him if I knew where he went. They're cleaning him off. In fact, he might be back soon, and Lily's asleep….I'd better be getting back, actually. I wouldn't want Lily to be on her own when she wakes up."

"Right," Sirius nodded. Things had changed, and he accepted that. "I'll see you lot tomorrow then." He broke into a sudden grin. "Told you the bananas would work!" Sirius crowed. "We have another Marauder!"

"Yeah," James' own grin reappeared. "With our help, he ought to be able to put a few grey hairs on McGonagall's head."

* * *

Lily woke with a start as an unfamiliar sound filled her ears. Frowning, she tried to remember what the sound meant; she was pretty sure that it was important, but she couldn't quite remember why. Lily began to sit up and it all came flooding back as her sore body protested the sudden movement. She'd given birth to a baby boy and the baby was crying somewhere. Gingerly, Lily lowered her feet to the floor, but before she could brace herself to put weight on them, she spotted the cot, pushed up next to the bed and within easy reach. Lily leaned carefully over and scooped up the wailing blue bundle. Catching sight of James in the armchair, awake now but still clearly befuddled, Lily beckoned him over.

James abandoned the chair and came to sit next to her on the bed so that they could both observe their son. The baby had stopped crying as soon as Lily had picked him up and was now staring up at his parents with an expression that was nearly as bewildered as the ones they wore. "What d'you reckon he wants?" James whispered to Lily out of the corner of his mouth, as though he were afraid that the baby might read lips.

Lily looked at the baby consideringly. "If he's hungry or wet he'd probably still be crying," she pointed out. "Maybe he was just scared or lonely or something." Lily tightened her arms round her son a bit and touched his cheek softly. "It's all right," she told him rather uncertainly. "We're here."

The baby continued to gaze up at them solemnly, showing no signs of sleepiness or distress, and Lily and James stared back. In the mad rush of the birth and its aftermath, neither of them had really had a chance to examine their son thoroughly.

This baby that stared at them now was slightly less red and wrinkly, and his eyes were open a bit wider, making it possible for Lily and James to determine that they were distinctly green, even in the dim light. The baby's hair, clean now, was a thick black thatch that stuck up and waved all over his head, exactly like his father's.

"Do you want to hold him?" Lily asked James.

"Er –" James hesitated, remembering what had happened in the delivery room. Lily, sweaty, exhausted, and glowing with pride, had handed the baby, still covered in goo, to James, and he'd very nearly shot out of James' arms like a greased pig.

"You'll be great," Lily smiled, in a good mood now that the baby had arrived and had not been delivered by Sirius and Peter on a sidewalk. "Besides, you're sitting down now."

"Ha, ha," James snorted, but he held out his arms and allowed Lily to transfer their son into them. Once convinced that he wasn't going to drop, catapult, or otherwise injure the baby, James carefully peeled back the blanket. Good; ten fingers, ten toes, a belly button, and….well, it all seemed to be there. The baby shifted slightly, and James' eyes shot back to his face, embarrassed to have been caught.

Lily rolled her eyes at James, but she was unable to keep the corners of her mouth from turning up as she leaned over to kiss him.

"What was that for?" James asked eventually.

"Because you're such a prat," Lily said affectionately, leaning her head against James' shoulder. The three of them continued to watch each other in silence, all apparently lost in their own thoughts.

"Harry," James said suddenly into the quiet.

"Huh?" Lily lifted her head to shoot James a questioning look.

"Harry," James repeated, grinning down at the baby and then up at Lily. "I think our son's name is Harry."

Lily stared down at the baby, brushing the hair away from his forehead. "Harry James Potter," she said, giving James a dazzling smile. "It's perfect."

* * *

Peter hurried through the darkened London streets, clutching his hooded cloak tightly about him. His lungs burned and there was a stitch in his side, but Peter didn't dare stop, or even slow his pace. His master had been waiting impatiently for news ever since he'd sent the message that Lily had gone into labour, and it was never wise to keep the Dark Lord waiting if you could avoid it.

He was moving as quickly as he could without attracting attention to himself, but Peter wasn't in any hurry to reach his destination. Lord Voldemort would not be pleased to hear Peter's news, and the thought of displeasing the Dark Lord was enough to make Peter shudder.

At last, Peter reached his destination, raised his wand, and whispered an incantation at the door, which swung back to reveal three hooded figures, their faces obscured by white masks. Peter stopped short on the threshold. Their presence made him nervous; why were these Death Eaters attending their master at nearly midnight?

"I –I am here to see our master," Peter blurted. "I have n-news for him."

"You dare to talk of such matters now?" The voice that wafted from under one of those hoods was cold, sneering. "Close the door immediately. Any Muggle on the street might hear you."

That voice was vaguely familiar to Peter, but he couldn't quite place it, not when he was so tense. He jumped to obey the faceless Death Eater, slamming the door shut in his eagerness to comply.

"That way," One of the figures gestured carelessly down the corridor. "He has been waiting for some time."

Peter rushed off, steeling himself for the confrontation that was to come. He knocked softly on the door at the end of the corridor.

"Enter." That high, cold voice wasn't as calm as it usually was, a definite bad sign.

"It is I, my lord," Peter gulped, wetting his dry lips. "I-I have news."

"Well?" Voldemort's voice crackled with nerves.

Peter took a deep breath. "Lily Potter gave birth to a boy," he squeaked, swiping at his watery eyes.

"'Born as the seventh month dies…'" Voldemort murmured softly. Then all at once, he was pacing the room furiously, an unfathomable expression on his face. Peter fidgeted in place, not sure what the Dark Lord expected of him. In fact, Peter had never seen Lord Voldemort like this.

"You will go," Voldemort said abruptly, not looking up from his pacing, "and keep watch over the Potter boy. I want to know everything about him: what he looks like, who cares for him, who visits him. It is time to prove yourself useful, Wormtail."

"Y-yes, my lord," Peter quivered obediently, inclining his head.

"Now get out." Voldemort had stopped pacing at last. "Send the other three to me as you go. I trust I do not need to remind you of the penalty for failure."

"N-no, my lord," Peter gasped. "I mean, right away, my lord." But Voldemort had already turned away from him, lost in his own thoughts once more.

Peter scurried through the corridor, stammered his message to the waiting Death Eaters, and practically ran from the house, shaking and sweating.

He'd never seen the Dark Lord like that, so…..not in control. In fact, if Peter hadn't known better, he'd almost say that Voldemort had been scared. But it was a ridiculous notion, the all-powerful Dark Lord scared of a baby only a few hours old. Peter swallowed hard. If anyone ought to be frightened, it was Lily and James and their son……

Quickly Peter pushed all thoughts of his friends aside as he reached the corner and prepared to Disapparate. If he thought too much about the prophecy and his friends' involvement with it, he began to feel sick.

But it was too late. Peter felt nausea curl round his stomach and he stopped for a moment, burying his face in his hands. He hadn't slept well in weeks, not since the nightmares about Kathleen had started, and then he'd found out about the prophecy. His worry for his friends was almost constant now, and Peter only hoped he didn't crack under the strain. He couldn't afford to crack.

Peter took a deep breath and raised his wand again. Much as he wished it were otherwise, he and his friends were on opposite sides of a war.

* * *

James didn't know how it had happened, but Harry was flying round the room like a Snitch, dodging and darting as James tried to catch him. A broomstick, James thought wildly, lunging after Harry. I need a broomstick.

But while James was looking for a broomstick, Harry had found a banana somewhere and hovered over James, prodding him with it.

"Stop," James protested, trying to avoid the banana. "Stop it, Harry."

Then Harry opened his mouth and Sirius' voice came out. "Bloody hell, Prongs, are you going to wake up or not?"

"Huh?!" James sat bolt upright to find himself tangled with Lily in her hospital bed and Sirius standing over him, about to poke him again.

"Where's –" James began, then spotted Harry fast asleep in his cot, as innocent and un-Snitchlike as possible. Then James remembered the previous night and scowled down at his sleeping son.

Apparently Harry's staring competition with his parents had been the calm before the storm, because he'd spent the rest of the night howling at the top of his lungs. As soon as Lily and James had fed, changed, or burped him and settled him into his cot, Harry would begin to wail again. It had been a nerve-wracking, hellish night that had left both Lily and James secretly convinced that they were terrible parents.

Harry had finally drifted off to sleep an hour or so before dawn, and Lily and James had collapsed back onto the hospital bed and slept like the dead.

"What time is it?" James whispered.

"Half past nine," Sirius replied cheerfully. James shot him a filthy look, not entirely convinced that he didn't hate his best friend at this moment.

Lily stirred, then blinked blearily up at them. "Do I need to feed Harry again?" she asked James.

"He's still asleep," James informed her. "Sirius came to visit."

"Well, for Merlin's sake don't wake Harry up," Lily whispered frantically.

"I wasn't being loud," James felt rather put-upon. "And if Sirius is, HE can deal with Harry."

Right on cue, Harry began to whimper. Sirius jumped away from the cot as though expecting an assault.

James reached into the cot and gathered the baby up gingerly, turning him toward Sirius. "Meet Harry James Potter," James grinned at his best mate.

"Hi, Harry," Sirius smiled and stretched his hand out to touch the baby, then drew it quickly back.

"He won't bite you; he doesn't have any teeth," James smirked, completely forgetting his own earlier hesitation regarding Harry.

"You can even hold him if you like," Lily offered, sitting up and pushing her hair sleepily out of her eyes so that she could see Harry, James, and Sirius a bit better. "I never did get a chance to thank you, by the way," she added.

"Thank me?" Sirius raised a brow.

"For taking care of me yesterday," Lily explained. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there, and – well – you were brilliant, really, so thanks."

"That's all right," Sirius muttered, plainly wishing that the floor would open up and swallow him. "I couldn't exactly leave you with Peter." He, Lily, and James all winced at the thought.

Coming to a decision, Sirius held out his arms and James handed Harry to him. "He's so small," Sirius commented. He and Harry stared at each other, much as Lily, James, and Harry had done the previous night. "Why Harry?" Sirius asked a moment later, never taking his eyes off of the baby.

James glanced at Lily and shrugged. "It seemed to fit him."

Just then the door opened and Mr. and Mrs. Potter, followed by the Evanses and Morwenna, filed into the room. Apparently no one had much felt like going to work today.

"We simply couldn't wait any longer to meet the newest Potter," James' mum explained to him as she came over to kiss his cheek and Lily's.

James opened his mouth to reply but was distracted by an odd choking noise. Lily, sandwiched between her two parents, was beginning to suffocate.

"I just feel so terrible that I wasn't there with you!" Mrs. Evans was saying, squeezing Lily even tighter. "I was helping Petunia with Dudley, so I wasn't home to receive the message, and –"

"Er, Mum, don't you want to see your grandson?" Lily asked breathlessly, hoping to distract her mother.

For the next couple of hours, Harry was passed round from visitor to visitor, taking it all more or less in his stride, even when they snapped photos, and Lily and James were bombarded with endless questions about the baby's name, his birth, Lily's health, and every other possible related topic. Lily and James opened presents on Harry's behalf, and by the time the Potters and Evanses left, Harry had enough outfits, blankets, and stuffed toys to last him for the rest of his infancy.

"Merlin's beard," James sighed as the door closed behind Morwenna and Sirius, who had gone to visit Alice, Frank, and Neville. He flopped down in the armchair next to the bed.

"That does seem to sum it up," Lily agreed, shifting slightly. Harry, worn out by the chaos, had fallen fast asleep in his mother's arms.

"What do you think about asking Sirius to be Harry's godfather?" James wanted to know, examining the large stuffed Quaffle from the Quidditch set that Sirius had brought for Harry. "I know he can be a bit irresponsible, but he's my best friend, and no one would take better care of Harry if we couldn't."

"Of course we'll ask Sirius," Lily said softly. "Who else would we ask?"

"Oh good," James grinned, relieved that he didn't have to attempt to convince Lily.

"Speaking of Sirius," Lily shifted again, trying to get comfortable, "where were you yesterday when he couldn't contact you?"

James sighed heavily. In all of the excitement of Harry's birth, he'd completely forgotten. "I went on a raid with five other Aurors," he explained. "Moody got some sort of tip that Rosier and Wilkes would be in London, and we went to bring them in."

"Did you get them then?" Lily asked eagerly, trying to keep her voice down so she wouldn't wake Harry.

"No," James ran a hand through his hair. "They were both killed while resisting arrest."

"What?!" Lily exclaimed, completely forgetting about the sleeping baby. "But they must have had all sorts of information!" Lily fought to keep her voice down as she comforted a whimpering Harry, who had been startled awake. "How could Moody, or anyone, lat that happen?"

"Crouch," James replied bitterly, helping Lily set the still-sleepy Harry back in his cot. "He's the department Head, and he stands by his decision to allow the Aurors to use the Unforgivable Curses on Death Eaters. Moody's very strongly opposed, and so are most of us who were trained by him, but Moody can't stop anyone from doing it. I think Dawlish hit Rosier, and I'm not sure what happened to Wilkes. Moody was livid and that was why I couldn't get away; I had to give a statement to Crouch and some of the other higher-ups about what had happened."

Lily glanced down at Harry, who had gone peacefully back to sleep. In the last twenty-four hours she'd managed to forget almost completely about the outside world's many threats, that there were other concerns besides her baby. It wasn't pleasant to be reminded.

* * *

Severus Snape glanced quickly over his shoulder as he slipped into the Hog's Head, then made certain that his hood was still in place. Reassured, he nodded to the barman and strode briskly through the storeroom to the secret stairway.

Once he was safely ensconced in the underground room, Snape removed his hood and sat to wait for Dumbledore, closing his eyes briefly against the pounding headache he'd developed in the last few hours.

He'd come from the Dark Lord early this morning and had immediately penned a message to Dumbledore, then he'd fallen into bed for some much-needed rest. But sleep had eluded him, and Severus was beginning to feel the effects of insomnia. He tried to remember the last time he'd slept and deduced that it had been three days ago. Much too long; Snape would have to get some sleep soon or he'd become sloppy in his exhaustion…..

"Severus, I've just received your message. What has happened?" Dumbledore seemed to glide across the room, his eyes intense.

"It would seem that our fears were justified," Snape said dully. "The Dark Lord knows about the prophecy."

Dumbledore sank into a chair across from Snape, and in that moment he looked every day of his age. "I see," was his only response.

"I left his side only a few hours ago," Snape went on. "He summoned myself and three others last night. The others had been with him when he learned about the Potter boy's birth. We were all masked and hooded, but one of the others was Lucius Malfoy."

"I'd expect nothing less of Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore replied softly. "Lucius Malfoy is one of the few respectable public faces the Death Eaters have. He has access to people and information that many of the others do not. Go on."

"The Dark Lord is – obsessed by this prophecy." Snape hesitated to use the word, but he knew it to be true. He'd never seen his former master so fixated on anything before, not even his quest for immortality. "He informed us that he did not have enough information yet to determine which child was the one mentioned in the prophecy, but he would know very soon because of the spies he has in place. As soon as he knows, he will have the child taken and he will kill him personally."

"How does he intend to determine which child is mentioned in the prophecy?" Dumbledore was absolutely calm and still; only eyes expressed any emotion, and they were livid.

"I am not certain," Snape replied. "The Dark Lord seems to be relying on his spies to witness some sort of outward sign or collect telling information. While he is waiting for that information, he wishes me to redouble my efforts with my experiments in the hopes that he can take one more step toward immortality. But it is my belief that the Dark Lord will not wait long before acting. I have never seem him so – agitated."

"As long as he is human, he is vulnerable," Dumbledore spoke softly. "It is not an easy thing, to hear of a prophecy foretelling your own downfall."

"Will you inform the Longbottoms and the Potters?" Snape asked, hating the fact that he found himself sympathising with James Potter.

"I believe I will wait until we have more information," Dumbledore answered slowly. "We know very little, and it appears that we will have something of an interval before Voldemort takes action. Even he appears to know that he must tread carefully here."

Snape nodded once and stood abruptly. "I will keep you informed, Professor," he said, drawing his hood up.

"I thank you, Severus," Dumbledore said rising gracefully to his feet. "We all thank you."

Snape only nodded curtly, unwilling to allow the headmaster to see that the words meant anything to him.

"I will keep you informed," he repeated, and strode from the room, his cloak whirling round him.

* * *

The rest of Lily and Harry's hospital stay passed by in a whirl of visitors and presents. Lily and James' respective parents came at least once a day, Morwenna, Dorcas, or Peter was almost always about, and Alice and Neville were in and out almost constantly. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Flitwick came along with Hagrid, and several of Lily and James' colleagues and fellow Order members popped in at least once. James had taken the afternoons off of work, which Lily was very relieved about, as both of them were rather inclined to panic whenever Harry began to cry.

Sirius came for a few hours after work every day, bringing Lily and James outside news and decent food. They'd asked Sirius to be Harry's godfather, a position he'd accepted immediately. He and James had already begun making plans for all of the things they planned to teach Harry, ranging from Quidditch maneuvers to practical joke tactics. Lily became a bit upset when she heard them discussing ways for Harry to torment his cousin Dudley.

The one thing they didn't discuss was Remus, and Lily knew that James and Sirius were secretly hoping that the impossible would happen and Remus would walk through the hospital room door, his old self again. Lily herself was wishing for that, but they all knew just how unlikely it was, so none of them mentioned it.

Finally, the requisite week was up, and it was time for Lily and Harry to go home. James packed up all of the gifts and transported them to the flat, which took three trips in Lily's car, then returned for Lily and Harry.

The drive from the hospital to the flat took twice as long as it should have, mainly because James insisted upon driving at half the speed of all of the other motorists and kept glancing back at Harry, strapped in a car seat next to Lily, fast asleep. James had been highly skeptical when he'd seen the car seat and remained unconvinced that it was a safe way for babies to travel. After the third near-accident, however, Lily felt it was time to point out that this was not precisely safe for him either, and James conceded to watch the road, though he still refused to speed above a slow crawl.

"I had no idea that Muggle drivers were so rude," James grumbled as they made their way down the corridor towards their flat.

"They do tend to get a bit impatient when you're driving less than half of the speed limit," Lily pointed out.

"Was not," James mumbled as he unlocked the door with a flick of his wand and turned to take Harry from Lily.

Lily just raised a brow at James and stepped into the flat.

"SURPRISE!!"

Lily very nearly toppled over in her shock at finding her parents, Sirius, Peter, Dorcas, Morwenna, Mr. and Mrs. Potter, and all of the assorted Longbottoms standing in her lounge.

"We thought we'd come and welcome you and Harry home," Morwenna explained, beaming.

"They attacked me when I came with the first load of presents," James whispered as he and Harry came to stand alongside Lily.

The next couple of hours was given over entirely to fussing over Harry and Neville as every adult in the room passed the two babies round to each other, cooing and snapping pictures all the while (with the exception of Sirius, who refused to coo and wore a faintly horrified expression as he listened to others do it). Lily and James' parents spent a good portion of the party trading grandparent stories with Frank's parents, the six of them arguing vociferously about every baby-related topic under the sun.

"Are they still at it?" Lily turned to find Alice standing next to her, watching the grandparents.

"Yeah, they are, and now they've gotten hold of both Harry and Neville," Lily replied. The six grandparents had indeed managed to commandeer both babies; Mrs. Evans held Harry while Mr. Potter made faces at him, and Mrs. Longbottom held Neville, talking in strident tones to Mrs. Potter all the while. Neville stared in fascination at the vulture that quivered atop his grandmother's hat, his eyes round.

"Mrs. Longbottom seems to have taken to grandmotherhood," Lily observed a moment later, her lips twitching.

"Yeah, she has," Alice sighed. "She and Mr. Longbottom and Professor Dumbledore popped in for a visit earlier and she insisted on accompanying us when we told her where we were going and that Neville was coming with us." Alice's expression was distinctly disgruntled.

Lily coughed to hide her laughter. "I'm sure she's just – er – concerned." Alice merely shot her a withering glare.

"So why didn't Professor Dumbledore come with you?" Lily tried to change the subject.

"He was going to," Alice replied absentmindedly, her eyes on Neville as he continued to watch the trembling vulture on Mrs. Longbottom's hat. "But he got a message while he was at our house and had to leave. He said he'd try to pop by later though – er, maybe I'd better go and rescue Neville." Alice dashed across the room to her baby, who did indeed appear as though he were deciding whether or not to cry. She was halfway there when Neville made up his mind and began to scream. Cottoning on to Neville's fear, Harry let out a whimper as well.

Lily hurried over to the grandparent corner herself, hoping to avoid a full-scale screaming session like the one Alice and Frank were having to deal with.

"It looks as though someone wants his mummy," Mrs. Evans said to her daughter, holding Harry out to her.

His mummy. Lily's mind reeled with the sheer enormity of the idea even as she took the baby and automatically began to pat his back and murmur soothing words to him. All of a sudden Lily felt very young and very unsure; she wanted HER mummy, it was frightening to think of being someone else's.

Then all of a sudden James was there, putting a hand on Lily's shoulder and helping her comfort Harry. Relief swept through Lily as she turned her head to smile at him. This Mummy business would still take a lot of getting used to, but as long as James was there, it would be all right in the end.

* * *

Author's Note:

I'm really, REALLY sorry it's taken me this long to update! The whole thing can be chalked up to two words: technical difficulties. Suffice it to say, I need a new computer (I'm still having flashbacks to the horrifying lost file debacle; I spent an entire week believing that my computer had somehow eaten this entire story) So again, I'm really, really sorry to have left everyone hanging for so long.

On a happier note, Priori Incantatem has been nominated in two categories in the Multifaceted Awards. It's in the Laughter category and the Love category. If you want to vote, the link is on my profile page. Thanks to shannon for letting me know and a big thank you to whoever nominated me; this definitely made my week!

As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed, and also thank you for being so patient with my lack of updates. Hope everyone enjoys!


	56. The Question of the Day

Chapter 55 The Question of the Day

October 1980

Lily stretched and pulled herself out of her chair, wandering over to look out her bedroom window. Twilight had fallen, and beneath the flat people hurried back and forth on their way home from work, their coats buttoned against the October chill.

It was nearly dark inside the flat as well; Harry had gone to sleep about an hour ago, and Lily had taken the opportunity to curl up for a nap as well. She'd learned from three months' worth of experience that it was wise to sleep when Harry slept.

Glancing at the sleeping baby, Lily almost couldn't believe that it had only been three months' worth of experience. Already it was difficult to fathom a world without Harry in it. Everything she and James had done, said, or thought in the past three months had been in some way centred around Harry.

James had been able to take a short leave of absence from his job, so for the first month and a half of Harry's life the three of them had been together almost constantly. Together, she and James had faced the late-night feedings, nappy changings, bouts of crying, and all of the general emergencies, real or imagined, that came with having a new baby. Lily was willing to bet that she and James combined had slept a total of ten hours during that first month, a wager Sirius would willingly have backed her up on. In fact, he seemed to enjoy teasing them about their fixation.

"Stark raving mad, the pair of you," Sirius had declared flatly last week when he'd come in unannounced and caught Lily and James bouncing round and round the sitting room in an elaborate ploy to make Harry laugh.

Shamefaced, Lily and James had both put an end to their respective Bouncing Charms and came to stand near Sirius, neither of them daring to meet his eye.

Harry, on the other hand, had laughed more uproariously than he ever had over his parents' impromptu bouncing and stretched his arms out to Sirius, whom he adored. In fact, Harry had taken to laughing and putting up his arms every time Sirius came into the room. Slightly jealous about this, James had been going to even more elaborate (and often stupid-looking) lengths in the past few weeks to elicit the same reaction from Harry in an effort to prove that he was just as funny as Sirius was.

Not that James, or Lily, for that matter, had ever worried about looking stupid before. They both regularly pulled the most ridiculous faces imaginable to amuse their son, played Peek A Boo and Pat A Cake with abandon, and collapsed into slumber whenever Harry took a nap. Somehow, Lily and James always seemed to manage to get just as wet as Harry during Harry's bath time, and they made Harry's stuffed toys tap dance for him every night when they put him to bed.

True, Lily reflected, having a new baby did rather tend to kill the romance. But in an odd way, Lily felt closer to James than she ever had before. At times, James completely abandoned his slightly arrogant persona in his quest to be a good father, and Lily was seeing sides of him that she hadn't known existed. Unsure of herself and scared by the idea of motherhood, Lily had relied on James much more heavily than she'd ever done before, and James, just as scared as Lily but confident in their abilities nonetheless, had managed to reassure her. James had been right there with her while Lily adjusted to the hectic schedule and late-night feedings, had thrown himself headfirst into this parenting business and managed to make it all fun and exciting and terribly funny. Lily felt that it was largely because of James that the past three months had been amazing as the three of them had adjusted to life together.

Or it had been amazing until two weeks ago, anyway. Lily and James had been lying on the floor applauding Harry's attempts to roll over when there had been a knock at the door. Reckoning that it must be Sirius or some or all of Harry's grandparents, James had pulled himself up and flung the door open carelessly.

"Come and see what Harry's – Remus?!" Lily had heard James exclaim. She'd immediately shot to her feet to see.

And there had been Remus, still standing framed in the doorway. He'd seemed older after his travels; his face was more lined than Lily remembered it, there had been the merest hint of grey at the temples of his sandy hair, but it was something in his expression that made the real difference. Some almost tangible hint of all of the pain, emotional and physical, that he'd gone through in the past months, and Lily hadn't quite known what to say to him; for the first time in nearly eight years of friendship, Remus had seemed like a stranger to her.

Then Remus had smiled, almost his patient, kind smile of old. "Lily," was all he'd said, but he'd sounded the same, and that had made him seem like a bit less of a stranger.

"Remus," Lily had smiled back at him. "Welcome home. Come in; you don't have to stand in the corridor, you know."

"Yeah," James put in, finding his voice at last. "Come in. Er – sorry, mate, it was just a bit of a – surprise – to –"

"It's all right," Remus had said, cutting off James' explanation. "I've been gone for nearly six months, and I show up at your door without any warning….It's perfectly understandable that you'd be a bit surprised."

So Remus had come in, and after a half-hour of very stilted small talk and questions and answers about Harry, James had finally worked up the courage to ask Remus where he'd been.

"Everywhere," had been Remus' reply, and he hadn't been exaggerating. Immediately after leaving London, Remus had made his way through Europe, briefly visiting France, Germany, Italy, and Spain before venturing east to Hungary, Bulgaria, Albania, Turkey, and Russia. He'd spent about two months in Eastern Europe before venturing into the Middle East and Southeastern Asia and then eventually Africa, where he'd learned more about lycanthropy from a community of wizards there. In fact, he'd learned a great deal about it in all of his travels.

"Then I stopped in Ireland to visit - Kathleen's - family…..and now I'm here," Remus had finished his story.

Both Lily and James had avoided Remus' eye; Lily had picked Harry up off the floor and James had made a big production of helping her. It was the first time that Kathleen's name had come up in the conversation, and Lily and James dreaded what would inevitably come next.

"What are you planning to do now?" Lily had asked at last into the silence.

"I don't know," Remus had shrugged unenthusiastically. "I thought I might just – work with the Order for a bit, figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life. Spend some time with all of you, and with my family – I'd have gone to see them straight away, but I had to come here first, I had to know –" Remus swallowed hard. "Do you know anything more about what happened to Kathleen?"

Immediately, Lily's eyes had shot to James;' it was highly unlikely that Moody and Dumbledore would want Remus to know about Kathleen's conversations with Moody. But looking into Remus' solemn face, Lily felt that they owed it to him to tell him what they knew.

James had apparently been thinking something along the same lines, because he was the one who said it. "The only thing we've learned is that Kathleen had been trying to find out who the Ministry and Order spies were when she died."

"What?!" Remus had gasped, what little colour he'd had draining from his face. "But how – did you find her notebooks?"

"No, Kathleen had told Moody what she was up to; Moody said the first time she mentioned it was about a year ago," Lily had answered that one, studying Remus carefully. Remus had always been rather difficult to read, preferring to keep his emotions more or less to himself. But it had been virtually impossible to deduce anything from his expression that day, even more difficult than it had been previously. Remus' face had gone oddly and carefully blank.

"I see," had been Remus' only comment to that news. He'd left shortly after, his deadened, blank expression still in place. Lily and James had seen him sporadically since then; Remus did appear to have some interest in Harry and in seeing them, but he never stayed long and said little of importance whenever he came to the flat. Clearly Remus was still struggling, and Lily was very much afraid that he was losing the fight…

Lily shook herself from her reverie. She couldn't stand to think about Remus for very long; it was too painful. Pushing the thoughts from her mind, Lily glanced round her. Twilight had faded to dusk while she'd been lost in her thoughts; it would be completely dark soon. A quick peek into the cot revealed that Harry was still fast asleep, though he wasn't likely to remain that way for long. Lily stretched; frowning slightly. James ought to be home soon, unless he'd gotten tied up with some sort of raid or something, in which case he could be hours. Aurors tended to keep mad hours at the best of times, but with the current warlike state of the wizarding world, those hours had grown increasingly ridiculous……

It was a noise that distracted Lily from her thoughts this time, a soft sound that seemed to be coming from the sitting room. Quickly she drew her wand and tiptoed toward the door. It could of course be James coming home from work and trying to be quiet so he wouldn't wake them up. But years of experience had taught Lily to be cautious, and she moved into the sitting room with her wand drawn, swinging the bedroom door almost shut behind her.

A swift survey of the sitting room, kitchen, and dining area revealed that the flat was empty of anyone besides Lily and Harry. Lily breathed a sigh of relief and started to put her wand away – when there it was again, that sound, only louder this time and coming from the front door.

Hardly daring to breather, Lily trained her wand on the door as she moved toward it to investigate. She stopped only inches away, listening. Someone was there on the other side of the door, meddling with it. Lily could hear whispered incantations and the slight rattle of wood as each spell hit the door and failed. Lily smirked; the anti-tampering charm she'd put on the door was sound. It had the endorsement of the entire Classified Charms and Spells Division, after all.

Lily moved carefully back from the door toward the bedroom, considering her options. She'd never heard of a wizard burglar before, but apparently it happened. A friend would have knocked and Death Eaters would have burst in; they'd never been overly concerned with discretion. She could of course summon help from the Ministry, but this didn't seem to qualify as either a magical catastrophe or Dark magic, and as far as Lily knew there wasn't a wizard equivalent of a police force. It might be quickest to simply call the Muggle police, Lily reasoned. They did have a telephone in the flat, after all, and Lily was suddenly glad that she'd insisted on keeping it, despite Sirius' loud protests every time the phone rang….

Sirius. Lily almost groaned at her own stupidity. Of course! It must be Sirius pulling some sort of prank. Irked now, Lily spun on her heel and marched back toward the door, fuming. She was going to let Sirius have it for scaring her like this; serve him right if she DID call the police….

A slight movement caught the corner of Lily's eye as she went, and she glanced briefly toward the windows, expecting to see some sort of bird or something, but she stopped dead and stared at what was actually there. Lily let out a harsh gasp that reverberated through the silent room.

Death Eaters. A cloaked, hooded Death Eater stood on the ledge at each window, masks gleaming in the near-darkness. Drawing in deep breaths, Lily turned slowly in a circle, looking in vain for any unguarded exit. But there wasn't one. A masked face stared back at her from each of the sitting room and kitchen windows, and Lily was willing to bet that there were more waiting outside the door.

Knowing that she was onto them, the Death Eaters gave up their pretense of secrecy. Those stationed at the window began to taunt and jeer at Lily, their faces grotesque, and the door rattled loudly, the incantations ringing audibly throughout the room.

"Scutatus!" Lily shouted, waving her wand wildly at the windows and door. She turned and ran down the corridor, her feet flying over the wood, one thought filling her mind. She had to get to Harry, and they had to get out. It was as simple as that.

Knowing that the Shielding Charm would buy her only a few seconds, Lily skidded to a halt in front of Harry's cot and scooped him up, wrapping an extra blanket hastily around him. Harry fussed over being awakened so unceremoniously, but Lily did her best to muffle the noise, all the while pleading with him to be quiet under her breath.

"It's all right, Harry, Mummy's got you. We need to be very quiet now, shhh, shhh, it's all right…"

Lily, her wand at the ready, grabbed her keys and hurried down the corridor into the guest bedroom. It was a tiny room at the very back of the flat, but it was the only potentially unguarded place where she and Harry could access the fire escape.

The Death Eaters were beginning to penetrate the Shielding Charm; sounds like gunshots filled the air as the Death Eaters' spells cracked the windowpanes. Lily prayed under her breath that the Death Eaters wouldn't be able to get through her spell in time, would dismiss the guest window as too small, wouldn't understand about fire escapes….

It had been just a bit too much to hope for. A Death Eater peered in at her from the guest room window, his eyes showing his surprise. He opened his mouth to shout for his compatriots, but Lily brought her wand sharply up.

"Reducto!" she said firmly, pointing her wand directly at the Death Eater. The glass shattered as the Reductor Curse hit it, and the Death Eater's shout of surprise faded away as he fell out of sight.

Lily drew in a deep, shaking breath and clutched Harry to her as she swung her leg through the small window. She could hear the Death Eaters calling out to one another now, their voices excited.

"What was that?"

"Somebody go and see."

"They aren't going to get out, Lucius. We have the Mudblood cornered!"

"We can't take any chances," Lily recognized Lucius Malfoy's voice. "We dare not return to our master without that baby."

Lily eased herself and Harry out onto the ledge, trying to make as little noise as possible. She stumbled a bit, and for the barest instant, Lily was afraid that she and Harry were going to pitch headlong over the side.

Picking up on his mother's terror, Harry began to wail with more gusto. "Shh," Lily whispered, pressing his face into her shoulder. She began to pick her painstaking way round the corner of the ledge to the fire escape. Behind her she could hear shattering glass, and the Death Eaters' shouts of triumph as they breached the flat.

Knowing she had only a few more seconds of reprieve, Lily lunged for the ladder and started to climb down awkwardly, using only one hand to climb and the other to hold onto Harry.

"There!" a voice bellowed above her, and somehow Lily climbed faster, bumping and banging herself on the ladder as she went.

"She's getting away!"

Jets of sparks rained down on Lily in a steady stream. Lily threw herself down the last portion of the fire escape, skipping as many rungs as she dared. The ladder shook with added weight as three Death Eaters started down after her, pausing occasionally to shoot another spell her way.

"Impedimenta!"

"Somebody go to the bottom of the ladder!"

"Stupefy!"

"STOP HER!"

Lily dropped the last few feet to the ground and sprinted toward her car. Choruses of loud pops sounded all round her as the Death Eaters Apparated to the street. Lily ducked as hexes whistled over her head.

"Get the baby!" one of the Death Eaters screeched. Lily put her head down and kept going, her eyes on the car……..

And finally she was there. Lily unlocked the door with shaking hands and threw herself and Harry in, slamming and locking the door. The driver's window shattered with some sort of spell, but Lily didn't stick around to let any of them reach the car. She stomped down on the accelerator and squealed into the street, the Death Eaters behind her growing smaller and smaller in the mirror.

* * *

"Morwenna! Open up! It's me, Lily! PLEASE open up!" 

Morwenna frowned as she hurried to the front room, wondering what in Merlin's name had brought Lily and a crying Harry to pound on the door of her flat.

"What are you –" Morwenna's voice died away as she caught sight of her friend. Lily's face was pale and her eyes were wild, her red hair in a mad snarl all round her head. She held onto Harry as though her life depended on it, her hands trembling erratically.

Morwenna held the door wider, and with a last desperate glance over her shoulder, Lily stepped in. "Bolt the door," she told Morwenna, "and Seal it. We'd better do the windows too –"

"Lily," Morwenna interrupted, "what's happened?"

"I need to use your Floo Powder and your fireplace," Lily explained, still shaking. "Harry and I need to get to the Hog's Head; we need to get messages to James and to Dumbledore –"

"Of course," Morwenna interrupted again, doing her best to be soothing. "I'll help you do all of those things, but tell me what happened first."

"The Death Eaters came to my flat to attack Harry," Lily explained in a rush. "We climbed down the fire escape to get away. I came here because it was the least obvious place to look for me – you only recently got this flat, and I knew that they'd know to look at Sirius's, and – We've got to get Harry out of here; it isn't safe here."

"Why would they attack Harry?" Morwenna sank into a chair, stunned. "He's only a baby."

"I don't know," Lily shook her head. "But Dumbledore might. I've got to get to the Hog's Head; it's where Order members are supposed to go in case of an emergency."

"We'll leave just as soon as I get cloaks for us and a blanket for Harry," Morwenna replied, taking the jar of Floo powder from her mantle.

"'We?'" Lily asked. "But – the Order –"

"I said we," Morwenna called over her shoulder as she went into the bedroom, "and I meant it."

* * *

James sighed and stretched his aching muscles as he and Sirius stood in the lift on their way up to Sirius' flat. It had been an extremely long day, and James wanted nothing more than to go home and curl up in bed with Lily and Harry. But Sirius had wanted to talk to him about something that he claimed couldn't wait, so here James was. Some days were more difficult as Sirius' best friend than others. 

'What's this all about anyway?" he asked as they stepped out of the lift and into the corridor.

"Er – loyalty," Sirius replied evasively, groping in his pocket for his wand. "Some people are concerned about the people you're trusting."

"'Some people?'" James raised a brow. "Is this some sort of intervention –" James stopped speaking as they rounded the corner and found the door to Sirius' flat ajar. Exchanging a quick glance, James and Sirius drew out their wands and trained them on the doorway as Sirius kicked the door open

"Bloody hell!" Sirius exclaimed as their eyes registered the sight in front of them.

Sirius' flat, never the tidiest of places under the best of circumstances, had been completely and utterly trashed. Parchment, books, and clothes littered the floor, furniture was tipped over, and every door had been pulled open. The curtains had been pulled from their rods; even the kitchen cabinets hadn't been left untouched.

Searches of the bedroom and bathroom failed to turn up anything but more of a mess, and James and Sirius came to stand in the middle of the sitting room, making a pointless attempt to determine if anything was missing.

"It's not like I even have anything valuable," Sirius grumbled. "Bloody stupid burglars; they've just wasted their time and mine –"

"Message," James interrupted, indicating the owl that hovered outside the window, tapping its beak on the glass to gain their attention.

Quickly Sirius opened the window and accepted the message, then tore it open, his eyes scanning the page at a furious pace.

"What is it?" James wanted to know. "Don't tell me this is someone's idea of a joke, because that's about the most idiotic, unoriginal –"

"Order emergency," Sirius replied, handing James a second envelope that bore his name on it. "We have to report to the Hog's Head immediately."

"What's happened?" James frowned, tearing open his own envelope.

"Doesn't say," Sirius sighed disgustedly, glancing round his flat once more. "It'd be nice if just for once Dumbledore could be a bit less cryptic."

"Why can't I go back to my flat?" James asked sharply.

"Huh?" Sirius stared at him, not comprehending.

"What happened at my flat that I can't – I have to go home," James said, shoving his parchment at Sirius.

"James –

"Come directly to the Hog's Head when you receive this, do not return to your flat.

"Dumbledore"

Sirius read the message aloud. "I dunno mate, we'll have to go and – stop that!"

Sirius snatched James' wand away as he raised it, preparing to Apparate. "What if Lily and Harry are there?" James demanded. "What if something happened to them?"

"Nothing's happened to them," Sirius waved his friend off impatiently. "Besides, you know as well as I do by now that Dumbledore's always right, so you might as well just save yourself some time and a round of 'I-told-you-so's' from me and come along to the Hog's Head now like the note says to."

James scowled but raised his wand again instead of replying.

Sirius smirked as he raised his own wand. Sometimes James was all too easy to manipulate.

* * *

Sirius and James reappeared in front of the Hog's Head seconds later, making sure that their hoods were pulled low. Inside the pub, the few patrons paid them no mind as they strode over to the barman. 

"Downstairs," he grunted under his breath, swiping at the bar with a grimy cloth.

James and Sirius exchanged another glance at this, but made their way through the storeroom in silence.

"Things must be bad; he didn't even wait for us to use the pass phrase," Sirius whispered. "Not that I can exactly remember it…."

James didn't respond to Sirius' attempts to lighten the mood. Normally he would've added a few rejoinders of his own, but until he knew his wife and son were safe, James didn't particularly feel like laughing.

They reached the underground door, but before James could open it a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks. "Just a minute, Potter," Moody's voice growled. "Come with me. Go on in, Black. The others haven't arrived yet, but you can keep Miss Marchbanks company."

"Morwenna?" Sirius frowned in puzzlement, but did as Moody had asked.

"Moody, I have to speak to Dumbledore," James said as Moody led him back towards the stairs. "Where's Lily? And why can't I go home?"

"Dumbledore'll be in in a minute," Moody replied gruffly. "He'll explain everything to you."

To James' surprise, Moody stopped in front of the wall close to the stairs. Raising his wand, he traced an invisible rectangle on the wall in the rough size and shape of a door. A thin line of golden light appeared in the wake of Moody's wand, and suddenly there was a door.

Putting his wand carefully away, Moody twisted the knob and opened the door, gesturing James inside. Hesitantly James stepped inside, and Moody shut the door behind him.

"James!" a voice exclaimed, and James let out a loud "Oof!" as an unexpected weight slammed into his chest with considerable force. Finding himself blinded by a familiar cloud of fragrant red hair, James felt a tremendous weight lift from his shoulders. Lily was all right.

"Thank Merlin you're here," Lily was babbling, clutching at him tightly. "I've never been so happy to see anyone in my entire life –"

"Lily," James tried to move Lily far enough away from him so that he could see her face, "are you all right? Where's Harry? What's happened?"

A familiar squeal answered one of James' questions for him, and he glanced over Lily's shoulder to see Harry lying in a makeshift cot, reaching his arms up to his parents.

"I'm fine and Harry's fine," Lily said, reluctantly loosening her grip enough for James to move them over to the cot.

"Hello, mate," James grinned at Harry and scooped him up, much to the baby's delight. "Bit late for you to be up, isn't it?"

"He slept for hours after it happened," Lily explained, leaning over to kiss Harry. "I guess he isn't tired anymore."

"After what happened?" That horrible sick feeling was returning to James' stomach. "What in the bloody everlasting hell is going on here?"

"That is indeed the question of the day."

Lily and James spun round to watch as Dumbledore glided into the room, seated himself at the desk, and gestured to two other chairs. Lily and James glanced uneasily at each other but complied, Lily holding Harry in her lap.

"Lily, James," Dumbledore began, "I am afraid that I have something to tell you."

* * *

Author's Note: 

The prophecy is out! Poor Harry. It's enough to make me want to steer that bus with Peter's name on it towards Voldemort as well…

As always, thanks for the reviews, everyone. I really do appreciate your dedication to this story, even when it takes me a while to update it.

There were other things I wanted to say, but, as usual, I seem to have forgotten them. That's what happens when you write late at night like I do.

I'd better go to sleep; till next time!


	57. Surprises, Schemes, and Strangers

Chapter 56 Surprises, Schemes, and Strangers

Lily adjusted the dark sunglasses over her eyes and made certain the hood of her Muggle coat and Harry's blankets were secure before stepping out of the car. James, also clad as a Muggle, extended his hand to help her, then kept his arm round her as they hurried through the rain to the front door of their new building. He held the door for Lily and Harry, then turned to look once more for any suspicious figures and nod to Benjy Fenwick and Sturgis Podmore, the two Order guards who had been assigned to the front of the building.

It had been two weeks since the attempted Death Eater attack on Harry, two weeks since Dumbledore had told Lily and James about Sibyll Trelawney's prophecy concerning their son and the Dark Lord. It had been the longest two weeks of Lily and James' lives.

Dumbledore had told them everything he knew about the prophecy. He'd recounted the events of the day he had gone to interview Sibyll Trelawney for the Divination position last June and repeated the story his source had told him: one of Voldemort's spies had overheard his interview with Trelawney and all that had come afterward. He'd then explained that there were just two children born at the end of July who'd fit the criteria in the prophecy: Neville Longbottom and Harry.

Lily and James had sat in stunned silence throughout Dumbledore's explanation and had continued to be silent for long moments after he'd finished speaking. Dumbledore had waited patiently for them to recover from their shock, which had taken a rather substantial length of time. Then the three of them had discussed the best course of action while Harry sat contentedly on his mother's lap playing with James' wristwatch, blissfully unaware of what was going on around him.

After much discussion, they'd agreed that the other Order members should know; they could help Lily and James keep Harry safe. Lily, James, and Dumbledore had also agreed unanimously that they should tell Harry's grandparents, but everyone else should be kept in the dark. The fewer people who knew about the prophecy, the better.

Finally Dumbledore had risen to go. "The Order ought to be assembled by now," he'd told them. "I'll go now and tell them about the prophecy, but I think it best that you stay here with Harry. Until we can find a safe location for you, it's better that no one knows where to find you." He'd left then, smiling gently at them one last time before closing the door behind him.

Without a word, Lily and James had turned toward each other, and suddenly James was crushing Lily and Harry against him. Lily had pressed herself as tightly to James as she could, struggling not to cry. Squished uncomfortably between his parents, Harry had begun to whimper in protest and broke into all-out tears when he dropped the wristwatch.

Slowly Lily and James had pulled apart. "Sorry about that, mate," James had said to Harry, struggling to sound normal. He'd gotten the wristwatch off of the floor and handed it to the baby, his mind still reeling from all of Dumbledore's news.

"He's probably hungry," Lily had said, trying to sound as normal as possible. She'd felt like collapsing into a screaming, crying heap on the floor, but James and Harry needed her to be herself, and she couldn't let them down. Crying wouldn't have solved anything and would only have scared Harry (and probably James as well) further. Her mind made up. Lily had reached for her wand and conjured a bottle for Harry, whose tears had immediately subsided.

Once they'd finally gotten Harry fed and in his cot, Lily and James had stretched out on the bed together, clinging as tightly as possible, while Lily had told James about the attack on the flat. Then, together, they'd made more plans for keeping Harry safe.

Both Lily and James had decided to take leaves of absence from work again so that they could both be with Harry if anything happened. Until Dumbledore could find a new flat and put protection spells on it, they'd stay here in the Hog's Head. Morwenna and Sirius already knew they were here, but they wouldn't tell anyone else, not even their parents or their friends. "We can't give anyone any information that could be tortured out of them," James had said, his Auror training fresh in his mind.

Lily had shuddered at the idea, blinking back tears. Only a few hours ago her biggest concern had been finding ways to get enough sleep, and now her baby's life was in danger and she was trying to prevent her friends and family from obtaining any information that could be tortured out of them. The change was too terrible to contemplate; it all had to be some sort of nightmare.

But the nightmare refused to go away, and Lily and James had spent the next two weeks hiding out in their little secret room in the Hog's Head. The barman, Aberforth, brought them food three times a day and Morwenna and Sirius visited daily, bringing news of the outside world. Dumbledore came as often as he could as well, updating them on the Order's progress in finding Lily, James, and Harry a new flat and installing safety measures. Finally, Dumbledore came to inform them that the flat was ready and that the Order would be ready to escort them into it the day after tomorrow.

Lily and James had been both extremely relieved and terrified at the notion of leaving the Hog's Head and moving into a flat. On the one hand, it would be wonderful to live in more than one room again; there was only so much family togetherness one family could take, even in extenuating circumstances. On the other hand, moving out of the Hog's Head meant moving out into the open; Harry was safe in this little room, and leaving it meant that the Death Eaters would once again be able to find him.

And so here they were, in the outside world again. Once inside, James and Lily made directly for the lift, their wands concealed but easily accessible. It was only when they were inside the lift with the door firmly shut that James and Lily pushed back their hoods and unwrapped Harry.

"Made it," Lily said, attempting to be cheerful.

"Yeah," James replied, trying not to think of all of the opportunities the Death Eaters had to take Harry between here and the relative safety of their new flat. He shifted restlessly, his eyes on the numbers above the lift's door. Before they'd left the Hog's Head, Dumbledore had assured him several times that Order members were stationed on each side of the building and in the flat across the hallway, but James still felt a bit uneasy. Anything could happen to any of the guards, or some of them could be Death Eaters using Polyjuice Potion, or a Death Eater hiding in the furze bushes could cast the Imperious Curse on someone….

James shook off his negative (he refused to admit to paranoid) thoughts as the lift doors slid open on their floor. Quickly James drew his wand, then made sure the corridor was clear before allowing Lily and Harry to leave the lift.

Lily rolled here eyes at Harry over James' behaviour, but she couldn't really fault him for it. It was pretty difficult not to be paranoid these days. While Lily believed Dumbledore when he said that he'd done everything possible to make this flat safe, she still found herself glancing over her shoulder.

James unlocked the door with a flick of his wand and, making sure that Lily and Harry were safely behind him, stepped into the flat, trying to locate candles or even one of those Muggle lamp things.

"SURPRISE!"

The room was suddenly flooded with light as Sirius, Morwenna, Alice and Neville, Frank, Dorcas, Peter, Remus, and Lily and James' parents stepped out of various hiding places.

"Gah!" James shouted, jumping a few feet in the air. A stream of sparks shot from his wand, leaving tiny charred marks in the ceiling.

"Told you the surprise bit was a bad idea," Morwenna said, nudging Sirius.

"They weren't that scared," Sirius protested, his usual confidence noticeably lacking.

"Oh really? Poor James looks like he's lost ten years off his life," Dorcas put in.

"Sorry," Alice added, smiling sheepishly in Lily and James' direction. "We just wanted to welcome you to your new place." She gestured toward the table, where an enormous cake emblazoned with the words "Welcome Home James, Lily, and Harry!" sat, surrounded by various other snacks and drinks.

"That's all right," Lily said a bit faintly, relaxing the death grip she had on Harry, who was beginning to make squashed sounds.

"You made it here all right, did you?" Mr. Potter asked anxiously, leading the cavalcade of grandparents toward James and Lily.

"No problems," Lily confirmed. James didn't yet seem capable of speech.

"Er, maybe we ought to get James to a chair," Mrs. Potter suggested tactfully as she took Harry from Lily.

Peter, Sirius, and Remus had also ventured over, concerned expressions on their faces.

"I think you've scarred him for life, Sirius," Peter, announced, peering closely at James, whose was white-faced and seemingly doing his best to take deep breaths.

"I did not scar him for life!" Sirius snapped, scowling fiercely at Peter.

"Yes you did," Peter persisted, not knowing, as usual, when to keep his mouth shut. "He hasn't said a word since we jumped out at him and he's shaking like a leaf….he's probably gonna faint…"

"I am NOT going to faint!" James practically shouted, effectively snapped out of it. He and Sirius were both glaring now, which did not, in Lily's opinion, bode well for Peter.

"Well, you looked like you were going to," Peter maintained. "Didn't he, Remus?"

Remus just shook his head. "I'd shut it if I were you," he advised Peter.

"'S'not like there's any shame in it," Peter muttered. "None of us would blame him if he did…"

"I need a drink," James said, his disgust plain. "Merlin's beard…" He and Sirius ventured off toward the kitchen, talking in hushed voices.

"You never know when to quit, do you Wormtail?" Remus asked, nudging Peter in the ribs.

"Ow!" Peter yelped sharply, cringing away from Remu's touch.

"Are you all right?" Lily asked Peter, concerned.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine, it's just – I was – I had a bit of an accident," Peter explained lamely.

"What sort of accident?" Remus wanted to know.

"Er – on a broomstick," Peter was flushing now. "Look, it's a bit embarrassing, and it was entirely my fault, and – could we not talk about it?"

"Sure," Remus replied. "Sorry I hurt you – I didn't know."

"It's all right," Peter mumbled. "But please don't say anything to the others. I'm just going to – " he scurried off, not even finishing his hasty excuse.

Lily and Remus exchanged concerned glances. "What –" Lily began, only to be interrupted by Harry's crying. Casting Remus one last glance over her shoulder, Lily hurried to her baby.

* * *

The party progressed uneventfully, and Lily found herself relaxing for the first time in two weeks. It was good to be among friends again, not to mention to talk and think about things besides Voldemort and keeping Harry safe.

By tacit agreement, the former Gryffindors laughed and joked like old times, determined to keep Lily and James' minds off of things. They'd all, with the exceptions of Sirius and Morwenna, who'd seen them at the Hog's Head, been amazed by how terrible Lily and James looked. It was clear that neither of them had had a decent night's sleep in a long time, or eaten properly. Neither of them ever strayed far from Harry, and they tensed at unexpected sounds.

So Sirius and Peter dusted off their ever-popular imitations of Lily and James' more memorable fights at school and of course James' infamous proposal, and everyone did their best to be amusing and comforting. It was clear that Lily and James needed all the support they could get right now, not to mention a few laughs.

And every single guest at the party made it a point to spend some time with Harry, passing him round from person to person. Each of them silently wondered at the fact that this tiny, seemingly ordinary baby would be the one to bring down the Dark Lord when the most powerful witches and wizards of the day had failed to do so. But it was strangely comforting to know that someone would be able to, and that that someone was in the very room.

No one said any of this aloud, of course, but as each one of Lily and James' friends looked down at baby Harry, the assembled Order members had hope again, hope that they had been losing steadily as they were killed off one by one, constantly outnumbered by the enemy. No matter what else happened, Harry had to be safe.

It was some time later when Lily stood watching Harry as Remus held him. Worn out by the party and all of the unfamiliar faces, Harry was peering drowsily over Remus shoulder as Remus carried on a conversation with Morwenna and Frank, who held a sleeping Neville in his arms.

The party had begun to wind down; most of the butterbeer and food, including the cake, had been consumed, and the crowd was beginning to thin. Peter had made his excuses and left, Mr. and Mrs. Potter and Mr. and Mrs. Evans, after extracting promises of future visits from Lily and James, had taken their leave, and Dorcas had gone to take the Order guards outside (particularly Sturgis) some cake. Sirius and James were in deep conversation in the kitchen, James glancing at Harry every so often, and Lily didn't know where Alice had gone –

"Lily?" Alice tugged at her sleeve.

"There you are," Lily turned to smile at her friend, but frowned instead as she caught sight of Alice's serious expression. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," Alice said, smiling very unconvincingly. "I just wanted to – see how you were holding up."

"All right, I guess," Lily shrugged. "We're basically making it up as we go along."

"If you ever want to talk about anything, I'd be glad to listen," Alice fidgeted with her sleeves. " You know, if you ever want to talk mummy to mummy – we've done pretty much this whole thing together, haven't we?"

"Yeah," Lily replied, smiling faintly as she glanced again at Harry, who was blinking owlishly at Sirius and James over Remus' shoulder. "We did. It was nice to be pregnant with someone else, wasn't it?"

"I was relieved when Dumbledore said it wasn't Neville," Alice blurted. Lily blinked at her in surprise, but before she could muster a response, Alice had plunged ahead.

"Dumbledore told us about the prophecy, and he told us who the two possible babies were, and when he said he thought it was Harry I was so relieved." Alice had started to cry now, her voice cracking. "I mean, I hate that it has to be Harry – I hate that it has to be anyone – but I was so, so happy that it wasn't Neville. I still am. I don't know what I'd do if it were my baby. Every time I think about it, I'm just relieved that it isn't Neville, and I'm so, so sorry, Lily. I'm so sorry. You probably hate me now, I think I'd hate, me, but I REALLY don't want you to hate me –" Alice cried harder, blowing her nose fiercely on a hankie she'd conjured with her wand.

"Stop being a prat; you know I don't hate you," Lily sighed. She hated having this conversation, maybe, but she didn't hate Alice. "Of course you're relieved; if things had been reversed, I'd have been relieved too."

"Really?" Alice's voice was a bit muffled, as her nose was still buried in her hankie.

"Really," Lily confirmed.

Alice emerged, red-nosed and watery-eyed, from her hankie and enfolded Lily in an enthusiastic hug. "Thank you."

Not sure what to say, Lily settled for patting Alice's back..

"I hope you know you can count on me to do anything in my power for Harry," Alice said, rubbing her eyes.

"I know," Lily said, summoning up a slight smile. "I appreciate that; James and I both do."

Alice opened her mouth to say more, but just then Neville began to cry, a loud, unhappy wail. "He's hungry," Alice said instead. "I'd better go feed him. But I meant it; I'm always here if you need anything."

"Thanks," Lily repeated. Alice smiled over her shoulder and was gone, turning her attention to the crying baby.

Lily's smile faded, and she felt strangely bereft as she stood there, watching Alice walk away. She'd always been specially close with Alice, particularly since they'd been pregnant together and had their babies at the same time. Throughout Hogwarts and after, they'd always shared most of their experiences, and if it was an experience one of them couldn't share, then they at least tried to understand.

But now, for the first time in Lily's life, talking to Alice about the biggest situation in her life had only made her feel worse.

Fighting back a profound depression, Lily glanced restlessly round the room. James had reclaimed Harry from Remus during the uproar with Neville and was now talking softly to the baby, who smiled happily (but sleepily) up at his father.

James felt Lily's gaze on them and smiled at her, a wide, not-completely-arrogant grin that made Lily's heart skip a beat.

Returning James' smile, Lily crossed the room to the only two people who did understand.

* * *

Peter breathed a sigh of relief as he Disapparated from the front garden of Lily and James' flat, glad to be away from everyone for a bit. Peter was a little bit afraid that he was going mad; he wasn't coping well with the pressure of his double life, and each of those lives seemed to become harder to get through every day.

Sometimes, like today, Peter felt like he was going to explode with his secret. It was hard watching James and Lily and Harry, seeing how terrible his friends looked and knowing that it was in large part due to him. There were some days where he could convince himself completely that everything they'd suffered and would suffer was all due to their blindness; Lily and James and Sirius and Remus couldn't see that the Dark Lord was the future and they had to pay the price for their bad decisions. But today just hadn't been one of those days, as much as Peter wished it could have been. His stomach churned with guilt as he remembered the party.

Like I need more guilt right now, Peter thought indignantly to himself as he reappeared in his mother's garden and made his way to the house. The Dark Lord was not at all pleased with him these days. His master had been furious that Peter hadn't told him about Lily's car and even more upset when Peter hadn't been able to find out where Lily, James, and Harry had been for two whole weeks. Peter had spent hours paying for his incompetence, as the Dark Lord called it.

Peter was definitely on shaky ground; his last chance, his master had said. And in his current state, Peter believed him. None of the Death Eaters, or the ones who would still talk to Peter anyway, had ever seen Voldemort in such a rage. He'd ordered Regulus Black killed for attempting to disassociate with the Death Eaters despite his old and powerful bloodline and was personally participating in Muggle baiting on an almost nightly basis. He'd also ordered a few of the Death Eaters to learn about Muggle cars: how to drive them and how to tamper with one, and he took great delight in torturing the ones who'd protested. Peter still winced at the memory of telling the Dark Lord about the virtually impenetrable security measures on Lily and James' new flat and the twenty-four hour Order vigil all around it. That tete a tete had taken place only last night and the Dark Lord's wrath at Peter's report was the reason for his sore and bruised ribs today.

Quietly, Peter eased open the back door and slipped inside the house; he was in no mood to deal with his mother just now. He practically held his breath as he tiptoed down the corridor and into his bedroom, then shut the door and leaned against it with a long sigh, his brain still whirring at top speed.

It was time to face facts: Peter was mucking up both of his lives. He was drastically out of favour with the Dark Lord and his friends weren't confiding in him as much as they used to. Peter experienced a little stab of hurt; why were Lily and James keeping him in the dark? Remus probably didn't know much either since he'd been gone for so long, but Sirius and James were as close as ever, maybe more so. Peter had never done anything that Lily and James knew about to make them not trust him.

Frustrated, Peter flopped onto his bed, then winced at the pain in his ribcage. He arranged himself more gingerly and concentrated on the problem at hand.

Since the beginning of his association with the Dark Lord, it had never been any secret to Peter that his life depended on his ability as a spy. If his friends didn't trust him with their personal and Order secrets, he'd be disposed of. So, Peter reasoned, he'd better do something to earn his way back into Lily and James' confidence.

"Sirius," Peter whispered aloud. He was willing to bet that Sirius was in Lily and James' confidence, way in their confidence. He and James, Peter recalled with a little pang of jealousy, had always been best friends, sharing things that they hadn't shared with anyone else. If Sirius trusted Peter, James would too.

The best thing, Peter decided, would be to stick to Sirius like glue, do what he did, and go where he went, get Sirius to confide in him.

And the best way to get Sirius to tell him his secrets would be to tell Sirius a secret himself, Peter reasoned. He knew that Sirius suspected that Remus was the spy, and judging from the way Sirius had avoided Remus at the party today, his suspicions had gotten worse. If Peter went to Sirius and told him that he'd seen Remus doing something untrustworthy, Sirius would no doubt jump at the chance to discuss his suspicions with Peter.

Peter sighed, savoring his plan. Not only would he be back in the Marauders' confidence, he'd be able to make someone else look suspicious. It was perfect!

Maybe I'll talk to Sirius tomorrow, Peter thought, growing sleepy for the first time in days. He could easily think up something that he'd supposedly seen Remus do; maybe he could even plant Kathleen's notebooks somewhere and show them to Sirius, after he'd removed certain incriminating evidence, of course. Peter was suddenly glad that he'd gone to the trouble to sneak back into Remus and Kathleen's flat to get them instead of burning them like Rookwood had told him to……

A few minutes later, Peter drifted off to sleep, a small smile on his face

* * *

Slowly but surely, Lily and James were adjusting to their new life, with all of its new problems, in their new flat. It had taken some time, but they no longer jumped at small noises, recast Shielding Spells on the windows and doors twenty times a day, or (in James' case) slept clutching their wands. (after hearing about this, Mad Eye Moody had told James again about the wizard who lost a buttock, effectively scaring James out of the habit).

True, Lily and James still kept their wands within reach at all times, received frequent reports from the Order guard stationed round their flat, and slept with Harry between them in their bed every night, but if any of this was paranoid, they elected not to notice.

It had been impossible for James to take a complete leave from work; he had to take the occasional assignment when Aurors were in short supply, but he managed to be home most of the time. And Lily had extended her leave from her own job, but she was doing some charm experimentation from home, wanting to do something to help, no matter how small.

"It's just until we feel a bit safer," James had said.

"Absolutely," Lily had agreed, privately wondering when exactly they'd feel safer.

And though they'd expected to be irritated about not having anything to do, both Lily and James were shocked to discover that they enjoyed it. In some strange way it was a huge relief not to have to worry about going to work; they could play with Harry all day and ignore the outside world.

Since they had nothing but practice, both Lily and James began to feel much more confident about being parents. They no longer panicked completely when Harry cried, got the hang of the whole nappy changing bit, and figured out a few sure-fire ways to get Harry to laugh. But no matter how hard they tried, Lily and James still couldn't seem to stay dry during Harry's baths.

"I think there's more water on me than there is on Harry," James observed, walking gingerly out of the bathroom in his thoroughly drenched robes.

"How do we manage this every time?" Lily wondered, holding a towel-swathed Harry in one arm and wand-drying her hair with the other hand.

"Well, Harry does like to splash," James pointed out wryly. "I think that's what starts the whole thing." He came to take the baby from Lily, making funny faces at Harry all the while.

"Maybe we shouldn't let him splash," Lily suggested grinning at James' ridiculous faces and Harry's giggles.

"But he loves to splash," James pointed out, crossing his eyes at Harry as he reached over to pick him up.

"He really does, doesn't he?" Lily smiled fondly at the baby, hugging him a bit before she allowed James to take him. "And I guess I don't really mind a little wat – OW!"

Harry, apparently not quite ready to give up his mother entirely, had attempted to take a handful of her hair along with him as he went with his father.

"If you weren't ready to leave you could've just said so," Lily pointed out to Harry resentfully, shooting the baby a filthy look. James did his best not to smile as he extracted Lily's hair from Harry's grip.

"It's not all his fault, you know," James said once Lily's hair was free.

"How is the hair pulling not his fault?" Lily wanted to know, fetching some clothes for Harry.

"No, the water," James explained, setting Harry carefully on the floor so that Lily could put clothes on him.

"Huh?" Lily, trying to prevent Harry from rolling over, wasn't quite following.

"It's not all Harry's fault that we get as wet as he does during his baths," James explained, going over to a chair by the window to remove his soggy shoes. "I mean, we keep testing the water and picking him up, and –"

Realizing that James had stopped talking Lily glanced up. "And?" she prompted.

"Lily," James said quietly, his voice deadly serious, "take Harry and get away from the windows. I'll send the emergency signal to Dumbledore and alert the Order members outside"

"Why? What's going on out there?" Lily asked, a lump in her throat.

"There's a strange man outside," James explained quietly. "I think it's a Death Eater disguised as a Muggle. He's wearing the stupidest outfit - clearly he has no idea what kind of clothes Muggles wear – and he's rummaging around in a big bag…."

"Let me see," Lily said, hurrying to the window.

"Wait – we can't leave Harry alone on the floor with a madman outside –" James protested, but Lily was already peering out the window next to him.

"He's just there, standing near that 'Give Way' sign, by the mail boxes," James whispered, pointing. "See what I mean? He has no clue –"

"Er, James?" Lily interrupted, fighting not to laugh, "that isn't a Death Eater dressed up as a Muggle."

"You can't honestly tell me that Muggles run round in those stupid short pants and a matching shirt," James protested. "If he isn't a badly dressed Death Eater, then who is he?"

"That's –" no matter how much she bit her lip, Lily couldn't keep from smirking "- that's the postman."

* * *

Author's Note: Okay, I'm really, REALLY sorry that it's taken me so long to update. School, combined with visiting family members and a bad cold, have kept me rather busy. Thanks, everyone, for being so dedicated to this story, not to mention patient.

I also wanted to mention, since a few people seemed a bit confused, that Voldemort attempts to kill Harry in Godric's Hollow in October 1981, not 1980; so yes, there is still a year to go in the story. Hope that clears things up a bit.

Happy reading!


	58. Close Calls

Chapter 57 Close Calls

November 1980

Severus Snape let himself out the front door of the townhouse and strode briskly down the street, cloak pulled tightly round him against the cold, grey day. Snape took a deep breath and released it, watching the white vapour cloud as it drifted away. It was a relief to be outside and away from prying eyes; the Dark Lord's obsession with his newfound mortality was putting Snape and the others who performed experiments like his under a great deal of pressure, and Malfoy and some of the other bureaucrats were popping by continually to "check on things," as they put it.

Snape wasn't under any illusions; Malfoy and the others were making sure that none of them were going to crack under the strain. The Dark Lord's demands had been reaching a new level of unreasonability lately, and Malfoy knew they couldn't afford to lose Snape and his colleagues.

Little did Malfoy know, Snape thought with a trace of humour. They'd lost him months ago, and none of them knew it, even had an inkling. Still, the constant subterfuge had made Snape more irritated than usual with Malfoy's hovering. To make matters worse, Malfoy hovered over him especially; Snape had had to watch and plan carefully to have this time alone to deliver his message.

Assured that he was now a sufficient distance away from prying eyes, Snape drew his wand out from under his cloak and Disapparated.

* * *

"HARRY! NO!" 

At these words, five adults immediately dove toward the baby, arms outstretched….and landed in an untidy heap somewhere to Harry's right.

Harry paused in the act of putting Peter's wand in his mouth to observe this odd new behaviour, his green eyes wide and innocent.

An arm shot out from somewhere in the middle of the dog pile and plucked the wand away from the baby. "No, Harry!" Lily said in her best Mum voice from amidst the jumble of arms and legs. "Don't eat the wand; they're dangerous!" But her Mum voice, possibly because it was a bit muffled, didn't have the desired effect. Harry, who up until this point had been deciding whether to find a new toy or cry over the loss of his old one, found his mother's warning outrageously funny and began to giggle.

"Nice parenting there, Lils," Sirius drawled from near the top of the stack of people. "Harry's right scared of you."

"Oh, shut it, Sirius," Lily snapped, "or I'll stick this wand up your –"

"Not in front of the baby!" Sirius interrupted, smirking. Not that Lily could see whether or not he was smirking, but she could definitely hear it.

"Not that this conversation isn't fascinating," Morwenna's voice, dripping with sarcasm, piped up, "but do you think you could possibly continue it when Sirius isn't SITTING ON THE LOT OF US!"

"Mmmmph," James, at the bottom of the heap, presumably agreed.

"I can't," Sirius defended himself. "Peter's the one who's sitting on the lot of us; I can't get up until he does."

"Why didn't you say something?" Morwenna asked Peter crossly.

"Or better yet, move?" Lily pointed out testily.

"I was in shock!" Peter defended himself. "I think I had the wind knocked out of me when I landed on Sirius' kneecap, and –"

"Whoever's up there, pinch him!" James snapped, having finally gotten his face out of the carpet.

"Make sure he squeals," Morwenna added ominously.

"All right," Sirius agreed nonchalantly.

"What do you mean 'all right?'" Peter demanded. "I don't go round pinching you lot when I'm – EEEEEEEEE!"

Peter let out a glass-shattering squeal and scrambled off the top of the dog pile, allowing everyone else to crawl, collapse, or stagger out.

"Air!" James gasped reverentially, flopping on his back like a landed fish.

"How on earth did that happen?" Lily wanted to know, finding Harry something relatively safe and clean to put in his mouth.

"One minute we were all running for Harry and the next we were in a badly done human pyramid," Morwenna recapped.

"And all of you were cutting off my air supply," James put in his two Knuts.

"I think it's all Peter's fault," Sirius announced, shaking his head vehemently in the hopes of doing away with the ringing sensation in his ears.

Peter, who had been standing to one side nursing his pinched arm, turned to glare at Sirius. "It was an accident!" he protested. "How was I to know Harry'd try to eat my wand if I set it down for a second!"

"Because he tried to do it last week when you set your wand down then," Sirius smirked, then winced at the pain in his ear. "Where did you learn to shriek like that anyway, Wormtail?" he complained. "What are you, a eunuch?"

Peter opened his mouth, but Lily cut him off before the argument could get worse. "No permanent harm done," she said, brandishing Harry as if to prove her words. "Harry's all right, nobody died or sprouted a beard, it's all okay."

Despite her casual words, Lily bit back a stab of annoyance. Having Peter underfoot almost always meant some sort of mini-disaster. Today's wand incident was only the latest in a long string of mishaps. Peter had always been nervous around things he was unfamiliar with, and babies definitely seemed to top that list. He had no clue about what sorts of things should or shouldn't be done round babies and seemed to want as little contact with Harry as possible. And quite frankly, Harry wasn't exactly fond of Peter either. Still, Lily reckoned, it was rather sweet that Peter came so faithfully even though he was obviously uncomfortable. Clearly Peter was worried about his friends, and for that Lily supposed she had to be grateful.

"Speak for yourself," James scowled, still resentful about being at the bottom of the pile. Lily shot her husband a you're-not-helping glare, but before she could think of a suitably meaningful hint to shut him up, a tapping noise at the window distracted her.

Lily glanced round to find an owl hovering just outside one of the sitting room windows, tapping its beak impatiently on the glass. Recognising the owl immediately, Lily hurried to the window, opened it, accepted the owl's scroll, and scanned it quickly before anyone could come to read over her shoulder.

"Who's it from, Lils?" Morwenna called from the sofa, where she was playing with Harry.

"Work," Lily prevaricated, stuffing the parchment into her pocket. "I've been trying out some stuff for them."

"You don't have to go in this week, do you?" James abandoned his injured pose and sat up. "Because I have to go into the office on Thursday and I can't get out of it." At this, he and Sirius exchanged a special annoyed glance typically reserved for one person: their department Head, Bartemius Crouch.

"No," Lily smiled reassuringly. "I don't have to go in. I'll just tell them that I'm still working on it." Conjuring parchment and a quill, Lily scribbled a response and sent the owl on its way. "Oh, here, Peter, before I forget," she handed Peter his wand. "You might want to put that away or something," Lily added as tactfully as possible.

"Thanks," Peter said vaguely, accepting his wand and twirling it absently through his fingers. Again Lily fought the urge to be annoyed with Peter. In another ten minutes he'd set his wand down again, she had no doubt.

"Peter!" Sirius snapped his fingers in front of Peter's face. "Put your wand away! Honestly! What's the matter with you?"

"Sorry!" Peter huffed as he stuffed his wand in a pocket. Clearly his mind was still elsewhere. Sirius and James eyed him narrowly but remained silent for the moment.

"I'd better go," Peter said at last, snapping out of it a bit. "I was just remembering this report that's due tomorrow, and I forgot to find these statistics about the connection between underage magic abusers and Azkaban inmates for my boss…"

Peter droned on as he collected his cloak. James and Sirius, who had tuned out from the moment Peter mentioned the word "statistics," were lying on the floor playing with Harry, so only Lily and Morwenna were pretending to listen.

"I'll walk out with you," Morwenna volunteered as she rubbed at a sore spot on her back. "I think I need to lie down; Sirius may have scarred me for life."

"Can you say: 'Auntie Morwenna's a bigger baby than I am?'" Sirius asked Harry, pointedly ignoring Morwenna.

"Ha, ha," Morwenna snorted as she ruffled Harry's hair in parting. "Harry knows better than to listen to you; he already has better sense than you do."

"Very true," James snickered, earning himself an elbow in the ribs from his best mate.

"Let me know when you need me to sit with Harry," Morwenna called to Lily over her shoulder as she made for the door.

"But you already do so much," Lily protested, following Morwenna and Peter to the door so she could hug them goodbye. "And besides, it's too dangerous –"

"You know I want to help," Morwenna cut her off. "Just let me know when you need me. See you lot later!" With that, Morwenna and Peter left the flat.

Lily stood at the closed door, trying not to worry. Morwenna really did want to help; ever since she and Harry had come to her door in a panic, Morwenna, along with Sirius, had been there for them almost constantly. Not that Dorcas, Peter, and Remus didn't do their part; they all did, and Alice and Frank would have if Lily hadn't insisted that it was too dangerous for Neville to be near Harry. But Morwenna and Sirius were either at the flat or on call twenty-four hours a day. It wasn't surprising that Sirius was there, but Morwenna, who until only recently hadn't wanted to be involved in order affairs or dangerous things, was a surprise.

"….I really did!" James was saying to Sirius when Lily rejoined them in the sitting room. "He was this mad-looking Muggle in matching short pants and a shirt and this stupid-looking hat, and he was carrying a really big bag – it was probably full of letters!"

"Sure it was," Sirius rolled his eyes at Harry, clearly unconvinced.

"But it was!" James insisted, obviously not for the first time. "The postman is real, I tell you!"

"You're beginning to sound as mad as Lily," Sirius told James severely, not noticing that Lily had re-entered the sitting room. "Next you're going to tell me that there really is a Muggle Queen of England!"

James threw up his hands in frustration. "Is this how you feel all the time?" he asked Lily incredulously.

"Pretty much," Lily couldn't hide her grin, especially when Sirius jumped and turned round guiltily to look at her.

"Then I'm surprised you haven't chucked the pair of us over a convenient cliff," James said, glaring at Sirius menacingly.

"You wouldn't hurt a man with a baby," Sirius smirked, seizing Harry and holding him up in front of him like a shield.

"Accio Harry!" James said triumphantly, pointing his wand at his son.

"James!" Lily exclaimed, snatching a laughing Harry up in mid-air. "After what happened last time, I thought we agreed – no Summoning the baby!"

"Right, sorry," James mumbled sheepishly, going a bit red.

"What happened last time?" Sirius wanted to know, looking expectantly from James to Lily.

"Nothing," they said in unison, both of them interesting shades of scarlet now.

"Aw, come on," Sirius protested. He always found stories involving parenting near-mishaps with Harry funny as hell – particularly the ones that didn't involve Sirius.

"Look at the time!" Lily exclaimed, jumping up and setting Harry on the floor with his toys once again. "I think I'll run down to the lobby and check to see if the post is here!"

"I'll go with you," James said hastily. "You don't mind keeping an eye on Harry for a minute, do you?" he asked Sirius "We'll be right back."

"Fine," Sirius snapped, disgruntled over not hearing the story. "You do that! Maybe the postman even left your post in a magical locked box with your name on it!"

James opened his mouth, but Lily shook her head and steered him toward the door. "I wouldn't even bother if I were you."

* * *

Peter waited until it was sufficiently dark outside, then, per his instructions, Apparated to the Dark Lord's presence to report his newfound information. 

"I – I have news of the Potters, my lord," Peter squeaked, bowing to his master.

"Out with it, Wormtail," Voldemort hissed, his legendary foul mood still in place. "I do not have time for your sniveling."

Quickly, amidst much stumbling and stuttering, Peter related the afternoon's conversation to the Dark Lord, explaining how James had said that he'd be going to the Ministry on Thursday and couldn't get out of it.

"This is significant news," Voldemort praised. "Perhaps you aren't entirely useless after all. You will go to see our dear Mudblood on Thursday, Wormtail, and you will convince her to leave the safety of the flat. Once she does, you will alert us as to her whereabouts, and you will lead a team to her and to the child."

"A –a team?" Peter faltered, his heart in his throat. He couldn't afford to fail, and they both knew it. "B-but, after what happened – that is – after – er – last time, you said you wouldn't take any more chances, and next time you would send all of the Death Eaters."

"It is not for you to question my instructions, Wormtail," Voldemort said menacingly. He flicked his wand, and Peter felt the familiar bone-charring agony of the Cruciatus Curse spreading through his limbs. "Indeed, I do not intend to take any more chances, but circumstances change," Voldemort continued over Peter's screams. "Not for you, however; this is still your last chance. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes, master," Peter sobbed, collapsed in a heap on the floor.

Voldemort didn't bother with a response. Instead, he swept out of the room, leaving Peter alone in the dark.

* * *

Lily blew a piece of her red hair out of her eyes in frustration as she struggled to stuff Harry into some clothes. But Harry, not inclined to cooperate, wriggled at the right strategic moment each time, neatly avoiding a neck hole or a sleeve. 

"Please hold still," Lily begged the baby. Harry just grinned and wriggled a bit more; it felt too good to be clad in just his nappy to cooperate with his mother.

"You're going to turn out exactly like your father," Lily grumbled as she picked the shirt up again for another try. Her meeting with Snape was today, in an hour, to be precise, and she couldn't reschedule. There was no way of knowing when James would be out again, and Snape never asked to meet for an idle reason.

Lily squirmed at bit at the thought of James. He'd positively go through the roof (and probably not figuratively) when – not if – he found out about Snape, especially when he realized just how long Snape had been meeting with her. Lily fully intended to tell him someday – she didn't want to keep it a secret forever – but if Snape had some sort of information about Harry, then that had to be Lily's priority.

On the other hand, Lily reasoned, now might be a really good time to tell James, especially if Snape's information proved valuable. She'd never said anything before in case James' temper getting the better of him; James invariably, Lily thought wryly, did something stupid when Snape was involved. He and Snape hated each other too much for either of them to be rational about things, and Lily couldn't risk James hurting Snape or threatening him into giving up contact with Lily or the Order. But this time, if Snape had information that could help them keep Harry safe, maybe James would be grateful enough not to do something stupid.

"Ha!" Lily said triumphantly as she stuffed the shirt over Harry's head. She'd managed to catch him off guard and seized the opportunity, putting his arms through the sleeves and pulling the shirt all the way down.

Harry whimpered a bit in protest of his captivity, but allowed Lily to put the rest of his clothes on with minimal fuss.

"Finally you decide to work with me," Lily told the baby as she tried in vain to smooth his hair, which, like James,' had a remarkable knack for messiness. "Mummy's got her meeting in an hour, and we still have to get you to Granny and Grandpa's –"

Lily broke off as she heard a knock at the door. Even though she knew that it had to be someone she knew – the Order guards would have let her know if it wasn't – she still felt an illogical bolt of fear. Lily laid Harry carefully in his playpen before opening the door.

"Oh, hi, Peter," Lily breathed in relief, holding the door wide for Peter to come in. "You gave me quite a start."

"Sorry; I probably should have sent an owl first or something," Peter said in his squeaky little voice, smiling at Lily. "Where's the little one?"

"In there," Lily inclined her head toward the playpen where Harry lay, regarding the visitor solemnly. If it had been Sirius, or Morwenna, or Dorcas – anyone besides Peter, really, Harry would have been delighted. But for some reason, he'd never cared for Peter; Lily privately thought Harry could sense Peter's nervousness. "We were just on our way out."

"Oh?" Peter, who had been locked in a staring contest with Harry, glanced round at this. "I'll go with you then, shall I? Help you keep an eye out, and all that."

"Don't you have work?" Lily evaded the question, knowing it wouldn't be too hard to get rid of Peter.

"Yeah, but I thought I'd come and check on you and Harry since I knew James would be gone today," Peter explained. "I'm taking an early lunch."

"You didn't have to do that," Lily smiled. "Harry and I are only going to visit his grandparents; we'll be safe enough there."

"But –" Peter began

"Really, it's all right," Lily insisted. "It was sweet of you to worry, but we'll be just fine. Go ahead and go back to work; wouldn't want you to get into trouble on my account, especially after the whole episode with that statistic report."

"Right," Peter flushed, remembering. "You actually listened when I talked about that?"

"Sure," Lily replied matter-of-factly, her attention on Harry as she concentrated on extricating him from the playpen. "The connection between underage magic abusers and Azkaban inmates, am I right?"

"Yes," Peter replied slowly, a hot wave of guilt washing through him. "Yeah, that was it."

"Told you I was listening," Lily teased, flipping her hair back neatly before Harry could latch onto it. "Thanks for stopping by."

"No problem," Peter answered automatically, going to the front door. "See you later, maybe."

"Sure, if you like," Lily answered, giving him a little wave. Peter returned the wave and started toward the lift. Lily watched him go for an instant, then shut the door, ran to the fireplace, and threw a handful of Floo powder into the flames. "The Potter residence!" She shouted, shielding Harry's face from the heat as the two of them began to spin……

* * *

Inside the lift, Peter felt as though the guilt were eating him alive. Lily had actually listened when he'd talked about his day job at the Ministry. But nobody listened when he talked about it; Peter didn't even listen to himself, it was so boring. He only talked about it so no one would question him when he said he had to leave; he'd made up the entire statistic report. But Lily had listened, had even remembered enough to mention it. 

The lift came to a halt on the ground floor and Peter strolled out of the building, waving casually to the Order members, Arthur Weasley and Emmeline Vance, who stood guard at the front of the building today.

Once he was safely around the corner, Peter pulled out his wand and took a deep breath, trying to shove the guilt out of his mind in preparation to Apparate. He didn't have much time to alert the other Death Eaters of Lily's plans.

But as he reappeared outside of a house only a few blocks away, Peter really wished that he hadn't known that Lily listened to him.

The door jerked open before Peter could touch the knocker, and a sea of masked faces regarded Peter expectantly.

"Well?" one of them prompted the moment the door had been securely shut behind Peter.

"She's going to visit her parents," Peter blurted before the guilt cost him his nerve. "Lily is taking the baby to the Evanses'.

* * *

Lily pushed back her hooded cloak as she hurried up the stairs in the Hog's Head, late for her meeting with Snape. She only hoped he hadn't left…. 

Dropping Harry off with James' parents hadn't gone smoothly. Used mostly to being at home, Harry had cried when Lily had tried to leave him in a strange house. It had taken a lot of soothing to get Harry to be calm enough so that Lily could leave him without feeling like the world's worst mother.

Not that she didn't feel terrible anyway; Lily felt awful about leaving her baby with her in-laws to sneak off and meet with someone her husband didn't even know she spoke to. Hell, James didn't even know that Snape was Dumbledore's infamous "Death Eater source." The one thing that she felt good about in all of this was her choice of who to leave Harry with. Mr. and Mrs. Potter were more than capable of defending Harry from any sort of attack, and it'd been incredibly kind of them to agree to take time from their busy work schedules to sit with Harry so Lily could conduct her "Order business."

I wouldn't be doing this if it weren't important, Lily told herself as she let herself into the appointed room. Snape might be able to tell me something about Harry.

"So good of you to join me." Lily turned to find Severus Snape sitting at the room's small table, regarding her with a distinctly irritable expression.

"Hello to you too," Lily retorted coolly, pulling her cloak off. She studied Snape for a moment. Lily hadn't seen him, she realised with a jolt, since before she'd had Harry. Snape looked better than he had, as though spying agreed with him. And it probably did, Lily thought with a twitch of her lips. In fact, there were few things that she could think of that would suit Severus Snape better than spying.

Snape did some studying of his own and came to the opposite conclusion. Lily Evans – Potter, he reminded himself with a snarl, didn't look well, as though she spent a lot of sleepless nights worrying. Which she assuredly did, he realised. Evans would be the sort to let her concern for her baby consume her whole life.

"What have you got for me?" Lily came straight to the point; long association with Snape had taught her that he preferred it that way.

"The Dark Lord is planning an attack on the Longbottom child," Snape reported crisply. "I don't know the precise time, but it is scheduled to take place either tonight or tomorrow night, presumably after the Longbottoms have had sufficient time to go to bed. They can expect anywhere from ten to twelve Death Eaters."

"Oh," was all Lily could manage to say at first before her Order persona took over. "I'll – I'll tell Dumbledore. They have a small Order guard because of the prophecy, but we can increase the guard and have them out of their flat and installed somewhere safe by the time the attack comes. Is there anything else?"

Snape hesitated, then continued. "The Dark Lord has decided to attack the Longbottoms because he does not wish to take any chances," Snape hesitated again, uncharacteristically uncertain. "But he believes the prophecy is about your son."

"He said so?" Lily asked quietly, her hands clenching convulsively.

"Not in so many words, at least not in my presence or in the presence of anyone I've spoken to," Snape was precise even when reporting gossip. "But it's clear that it's your child he views as a threat." Snape thought about Voldemort's rantings, his unpredictable, deadly moods of late and his obsession concerning everything related to the prophecy, his quest for immortality, and his plans for getting rid of the Potter child. "Views him as a threat" was a gross understatement indeed. "I thought you ought to know," Snape added briskly, busying himself with an invisible spot on the sleeve of his cloak.

"But why Harry?" Lily asked. Snape was probably not in a position to answer that question for her, but Lily had to ask. "He's only a baby; why does Voldemort see Harry as such a threat?"

Snape flinched at the sound of his former master's name spoken aloud. "I don't know," he said honestly. He had too much respect for Lily Evans' intelligence to offer her less than the truth. "Perhaps it's to do with his bloodlines, perhaps it's because of who the child's parents are." Snape's mouth twisted in disgust for a moment as he considered James Potter. "Whatever the reason, the Dark Lord feels that your child is more of a threat than the other; he plans to eliminate them both, but he doesn't speak of the Longbottom child the way he speaks of yours. You must be very, very careful." For just a moment, Snape wondered what Lily Evans' baby looked like; he'd never seen the child, of course, and didn't intend to, but he felt a fleeting curiosity about the child who had caused such a disturbance.

"I'd better be getting back to my baby," Lily said tightly. She pushed herself to her feet, and Snape did the same. "Thank you for telling me about the attack – and for the warning."

Snape inclined his head, an unaccustomed pang of sympathy touching him momentarily. "I'll contact you again if I learn any further information," he said formally.

Lily returned the nod; Snape was always formal and expected the same. "Thank you." With that, she hurried from the room, feeling a dire need to be with her baby.

* * *

Peter shifted restlessly in the back seat of the car he and the other Death Eaters were staking out the Evans house in. He'd been in this same spot for five hours now, and afternoon was beginning to fade into evening. The day had gone from bad to worse, he reflected gloomily, and it was bound to be blamed on him. 

Thirteen Death Eaters had been dispersed to the Evans house in London, ready to Apparate into the house and kill all of its inhabitants. Lord Voldemort had given his instructions: he was done being patient, and he wanted Harry Potter dead.

That was when the first hitch had come. Lily's parents' house had powerful protection spells on it; old, strong magic that reeked of Dumbledore. They couldn't Apparate in, no matter what counterspells they tried.

Since it was clear they'd have to wait for the Evanses to come to them, Lucius Malfoy had ordered three Death Eaters who had undergone Voldemort's enforced car training to obtain a car, using any means necessary, in case they left the house that way. Half of them, Malfoy decreed, would have to leave; there was no way they could prevent Lily and her parents from noticing twelve people on the front walk.

So the group dispersed as subtly as possible, and approximately half an hour later the three Death Eaters returned with a car. The remaining six piled in, they chose a vantagepoint across the street from the house, and now there was nothing to do but wait.

In a way , Peter was relieved. If they'd been able to go in and do away with the lot of them as the Dark Lord had ordered, he would have been exposed as a spy. Lily had told him where she was going, and it would only have been a matter of time before the Order members guarding the flat remembered that he'd been there and made the logical conclusions. This way, Peter could keep his exciting double life and continue to see his friends…….

"Something's happening," one of the Death Eaters, a man whose voice Peter didn't recognise, nodded toward the Evnases' garage door, which was slowly rising. Immediately everyone turned to watch as a car backed out of the garage and onto the street.

"Be ready to follow them, but don't follow too closely," Malfoy instructed. "No need to risk exposing our spy if we don't have to."

The driver nodded and allowed the Evans car to reach the end of the block before moving to follow it.

"Any idea where they're going?" Malfoy asked Peter.

"She didn't say anything about it to me," Peter answered, beginning to feel a bit sick. He couldn't believe that this was really it.

"Dead is dead any way you look at it," Malfoy mused to no one in particular. "Get me close enough to the car to hit it with a spell. We don't know where they're going and we can't take the chance on waiting till they get there; they might be going to meet someone who would put up more of a fight than we're prepared to deal with. And this way we can make it look like an accident."

"Right," the driver accelerated, weaving through traffic.

Malfoy kept his wand trained on the car, waiting for a window of opportunity. Here it comes, Peter thought, his heart in his throat.

"Waddiwasi!" Malfoy projected a pebble into one of the rear tires with the force of a bullet. The tire punctured instantly, causing the Evanses' car to veer wildly as its driver fought for control.

"Incendio!" Malfoy added, pointing his wand almost lazily at the fuel tank. There was an explosion that reminded Peter of bygone days in Potions class, then the car burst into flames, fire consuming it totally before anyone could approach the car to help the passengers.

"Our master will be pleased," Malfoy smirked, pocketing his wand. "Get us away from this place immediately."

The faceless driver negotiated ruthlessly through the chaos of traffic, pedestrians, police, and ambulances, all drawn like a magnet to the scene of the accident. Peter could only stare in the rearview mirror at the receding car, the fire bright as a beacon in the darkening sky.

* * *

Author's Note: 

Can you believe I managed this update? It's very late right now and I really shouldn't have stayed up to work on this chapter, but too late now. Oh well. )

I can't say thank you enough to everyone who's reviewed this story. As of the previous chapter, I have over three thousand reviews, which is absolutely flabbergasting to me. So thank you whether you've reviewed only once or are a regular reviewer, criticised or complimented, made me laugh or say "aww!" out loud, I truly appreciate you taking the time to let me know what you think. I read every review I receive and it always makes me smile.

And I want to thank witch at heart (it's supposed to be an at symbol but it won't show up) on her very, very kind review of the last chapter; after that review, I decided to do the unwise thing and stay up to complete this next chapter. So you actually have her to thank for the update.

Till next time!


	59. Trials, Traditions, and Tribulations

Chapter 58 Trials, Traditions, and Tribulations

December 1980

In the days since the Evanses' death, Lily and James' flat had become very quiet. Or so it seemed to James, anyway. There'd always been noise before – Harry's babbling, Sirius' laughter, Peter's squeaks, and of course, James and Lily's half-teasing arguments. But it seemed as though all of that had stopped lately. Of course, James knew that there was still noise in their flat – it just didn't feel the same.

It was because Lily wasn't the same. She'd said very little since she'd found out about her parents' death; in fact, when the police had come to tell her, she hadn't spoken a word for fully five minutes. Finally she'd managed to form the words to ask the police some questions, James holding her cold hand all the while, and then when the policemen had left, she'd gone straight to their bedroom and shut the door. James and Harry sat outside the door for a long time, but James hadn't heard any crying coming from the other side.

Then the next day, Lily got out of bed and went about the business of planning her parents' funeral, which turned out to be no small task since Lily and Petunia were forced to collaborate. Lily went through the motions of behaving normally; she managed to speak to her sister without shouting, (which James wasn't sure he could have done) took care of Harry, accepted their friends' sympathy, and arranged the funeral details, but James wasn't fooled.

He knew better than anyone did how close Lily had been to her parents. Estranged from a never very warm relationship with Petunia at the age of eleven, Lily had focused all of her love and affection on her parents instead. And Mr. and Mrs. Evans had adored Lily in return, James knew, and had protected her from the worst of Petunia's vindictiveness. Her parents, Lily had told him once, had never been anything but supportive of Lily's magical abilities, had encouraged her constantly and were always interested in and amazed by her studies. Having witnessed firsthand the sort of treatment Muggle borns received in both the wizarding and Muggle worlds, James could guess how much her parents' support had meant to Lily.

The funeral took place the first week in December at a church in London, with, after much heated debate, a reception at Petunia's house in Surrey afterward. Lily, James, and Harry squeezed awkwardly into a pew at the front of the church with Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley, the two families taking extreme caution not to touch each other any more than necessary. Petunia kept darting glances over her shoulder at the witches and wizards who had come to the funeral and then glaring at Lily, who pretended not to notice.

But as soon as the service was underway, Petunia gave herself over entirely to loud, theatrical tears, soaking through three dainty black-trimmed handkerchiefs in the process. Lily remained dry-eyed throughout, her cold, clammy hand squeezing James' for dear life. Harry, discomfited by his aunt's wailing, had buried his head in James' shoulder and peered over at Petunia occasionally with a sort of fascinated horror.

Dudley, on the other hand, screamed bloody murder until his mother stuffed a sweet in his mouth with astonishing speed and accuracy, especially considering that Petunia's face was buried in her handkerchief at the time. He continued to cry at intervals throughout the service as he finished one sweet and waited for his mother to bung him another one. Vernon chuckled at this, muttering something about a lusty pair of lungs and a boy who knew what he wanted, but James, staring down at the fat, red-faced, squalling baby, could think of several other adjectives for the little bugger, none of them complimentary.

All in all, everyone was relieved when the service was over and they could all escape, most of them with Petunia-and-Dudley-induced headaches, to a place that didn't echo. James, holding onto Harry and Lily for all he was worth, made a beeline for the exit, afraid of what he might do to Dudley and Petunia if he didn't get away from them soon.

"Peace and quiet at last," James sighed in relief the moment they made it safely to the corridor. Just then a crowd of middle-aged Muggles descended upon Lily before she could reply, offering their sympathy. James pasted a polite smile on his face and prepared to be as kind as possible to Lily's parents' friends, but just then Petunia announced her arrival with a trumpeting nose-blow into her handkerchief, Vernon and a squalling Dudley in her wake.

"Why don't you take Harry to the reception area and I'll come and find you?" Lily suggested, and James, not keen on the idea of spending time with the Dursleys when escape was possible, hastily agreed.

"Compared to that little blighter," James said wryly to his son, "you're the perfect baby, mate." Harry, still fascinated with his large pink cousin, strained to see him over James' shoulder, his eyes wide as saucers.

Sirius intercepted James and Harry as soon as they reached the reception room. As always when he caught sight of Sirius, Harry grinned widely and stretched his arms toward his godfather. "Thought you could use this," Sirius said, thrusting a cup of tea into James' hands as he took the baby.

"That's all right," James replied absently, attempting to return the cup. "I ought to say hi to everyone, and get Harry his bottle –"

"No, I REALLY think you could use this tea," Sirius repeated meaningfully.

"Huh?" James, who had a roaring headache and a baby to contend with, was not at his most discerning.

Glancing hastily round, Sirius shifted Harry and opened the jacket of his Muggle suit, revealing a flask tucked neatly into the inner pocket.

"Ohh," James exclaimed, cottoning on. He took a swallow of his tea and felt the Ogden's Old Firewhiskey burn its familiar path down his throat. Relieved to find his headache dulling, James closed his eyes reverentially. "Knew there was a reason you were my best mate."

"I should've brought enough to spike everyone's tea," Sirius remarked, watching warily as Vernon and Dudley entered the room in search of yet another treat to silence Dudley. "Is that kid always like that?"

"Dunno," James shrugged. "This is only the second time I've seen him….. although come to think of it, he was like that then as well."

"Harry isn't going to get that big, is he?" Sirius continued to observe Dudley. "That baby's huge!"

"I hope not," James frowned. Dudley was easily twice Harry's size, and James was not relishing the idea of carting around so much extra weight. "I think Dudley's just fat."

"What?" Sirius turned to face James finally.

"I said I think Dudley might just be fat," James repeated, sipping his "tea" again.

"Yes, but what did you call him?" Sirius wanted to know.

"Dudley," James answered resignedly. "That's his name: Dudley Dursley."

"Yes, that's what I thought you said," Sirius said sadly, taking a fortifying gulp from his own teacup.

James and Sirius located a bottle for Harry and managed to finish their drinks before James had to go and make the rounds of funeral guests with Lily, wanting especially to speak with all of the wizarding guests since they hadn't been invited to Petunia's reception. In no time at all, Petunia was hissing at them to be on their way, so Lily and James said reluctant goodbyes to James' parents and their friends, collected Harry, and clambered into the car that had been hired to drive them to Surrey.

A soon as the car was underway, Lily slumped back into the seat, her eyes closed as though she too had a headache. "Here," James said, brandishing the flask he'd had the foresight to appropriate from Sirius before he'd left the church.

Lily took a sip and pulled a face. "Where did you get this?"

"Sirius," James replied. "You looked like you had a headache, and it helped a lot with mine."

"You're right," Lily said hoarsely after taking another swig from the flask, "it does help." She sat up a bit and pulled Harry into her lap, then shifted close enough to James to rest her head on his shoulder. James put his arm around Lily, trying to decide on the best thing to say. Once again he drew a blank and settled for silence. In fact, it was a very quiet ride to Surrey.

* * *

James opened the front door of their flat with a slam and stalked into the sitting room, clutching Harry tightly under one arm as he fumed.

Lily followed her husband and son wearily, her headache back in full force. She wished that she and James hadn't finished off Sirius' flask on the way to Petunia's; some Firewhiskey would be very welcome right about now.

"I don't care what you say," James repeated. "That little beach ball tried to eat Harry!"

"Dudley did not try to eat Harry," Lily replied for the umpteenth time. "He's just teething and likes to - suck on things."

"Like Harry's head?" James asked scathingly, inspecting Harry yet again for any injuries that had escaped his attention during the first fifty inspections. "That is definitely a tooth mark," he announced, pointing dramatically to Harry's cheek.

Lily sighed exhaustedly, rubbing her eyes. The reception had been an unequivocal disaster. Petunia's weeping and wailing, combined with Dudley's screams and Vernon's blustering about the unreliability of foreign cars, had been wearing for everyone but especially for Lily. Things had been tense already before the episode between Dudley and Harry, which had been the final straw.

Lily, deep in conversation with some of the Evanses' friends, hadn't seen anything happen. One minute James had been getting Harry a bottle and talking to Aunt Beatrice, Lily's mother's closest friend. The next minute both Harry and Dudley were crying at the top of their lungs and Vernon was shouting at Harry, his purple face only inches from the baby's as James held him and shouted back at Vernon.

Instantly, Lily had hurried across the room to rescue James and Harry before the situation escalated. She'd scooped Harry up, attempting to comfort him and listen to poor Aunt Beatrice's explanations before contending with her brother in law.

"I don't know what happened," Aunt Beatrice stammered distraughtly. "I was holding little Dudley while I spoke with your husband and then suddenly Dudley had finished his shortbread and leaned toward Harry –"

James, however, had no such intentions; within seconds he and Vernon were engaged in a nose-to-nose shouting match, the sort that usually ended in a pub brawl.

Except they weren't in a pub. Petunia, after providing Dudley with a variety of biscuits, began shrieking at James to get away from her husband, clutching her baby to her in a death grip in case James turned on Dudley as well.

Dudley, stuffed to the brim with sweets as he was, didn't take kindly to his mother's manhandling and threw up all over Petunia, Vernon, Aunt Beatrice, and Harry. Seizing the opportunity, James escorted Lily and Harry out of 4 Privet Drive while the Dursleys were distracted, still shaking with fury. Too impatient to wait for the car to return for them, James had stalked into the Durselys' tool shed, retrieved a broom, enchanted it to fly, and helped Lily and Harry on, Lily rolling her eyes all the while.

"I was there!" James insisted stubbornly as he peeled off Harry's vomit-stained clothes. "That little pig in a sailor suit your sister calls a baby has got it in for Harry!"

"Come on, James," Lily scoffed as she helped him pull off Harry's shoes and socks. "Dudley did scare Harry, but he was probably trying to make friends or something. He wasn't trying to eat him."

"Oh really?" James demanded hotly. He thrust the baby into Lily's face. "Take one more good look at our son and THEN tell me that Dudley didn't try to eat him!"

To humour James, Lily gave their son another once-over. Harry's hair was wet and sticky with saliva and shortbread crumbs, and one side of his face was pink from Dudley's attempts to get a good grip on him. Lily squinted narrowly at the spot high on Harry's cheek that James had been inspecting earlier; it DID resemble a tooth mark. In fact, it really did look like Dudley had tried to swallow Harry's head, as though he meant to –

Suddenly Lily began to laugh, softly at first, then harder and harder, drawing in deep, gasping breaths. It all seemed so terribly funny; Petunia's fat, piggy little son had tried to stuff Harry's head into his mouth. Lily laughed until she cried , and then finally she wasn't laughing any longer. Forgetting about Harry's bath, James helped Lily and Harry into the bedroom and onto the bed, the three of them sandwiched together while Lily cried.

* * *

The weeks following the funeral were a bit better for Lily. She was still grieving, of course, but she had become much more responsive. Harry's encounter with Dudley seemed to have snapped Lily out of her numbness, and James did his best to see that she had no reason to relapse.

Both Lily and James threw themselves into preparations for Harry's first Christmas. Neither of them wanted to risk leaving the flat any more than necessary, so they did most of their shopping by post. As a result, a positive fleet of owls swept into and out of the flat several times a day, bearing oddly shaped parcels that Lily and James hid in the guestroom. Not that hiding them was really necessary; Harry seemed much more interested in the birds than their burdens anyway. But, James insisted, it was the principle of the thing. "We don't want to scar him for life of something," he pointed out.

Lily privately thought that if Harry was psychologically scarred, it was more likely due to Dudley's attempts to eat him than to seeing unwrapped Christmas presents. But she didn't like to remind James of the incident, so she kept the thought to herself.

But apparently James wasn't the only one who'd overreacted to the incident; Lily hadn't seen or spoken to her sister since their parents' funeral. Petunia communicated with Lily only through their parents' solicitor and even then it was about matters relating to the Evanses' estate. Lily had no idea when, or if, she would see Petunia again.

All the more reason to focus on her own family, Lily told herself firmly as she and Harry made Christmas shortbread one afternoon. Or rather, Lily made the biscuits while Harry watched and ate occasional pieces of dough, offering Lily wide grins that displayed his small collection of teeth every time she turned to show him things.

James, Lily, Harry, and Sirius spent Christmas at Mr. and Mrs. Potter's house, arriving on Christmas Eve and staying the night. Lily hadn't thought she'd feel much like celebrating; this would be her first Christmas without her parents, and it didn't seem right that Christmas should go on without them. But James, Harry, Sirius, and Mr. and Mrs. Potter made it impossible for Lily to remain depressed.

After a very pleasant Christmas Eve dinner, they'd all gone to bed somewhat early. Lily had been astonished that James and Sirius would agree to this, but neither of them put up any sort of fuss. However, Lily had years of reasons to distrust the angelic expressions they both wore as they all said goodnight to each other. Something was definitely going on.

Lily didn't find out what until well after midnight. She'd been fast asleep when an insistent poking at her shoulder disturbed her.

"Lily? Lils, c'mon, you've gotta get up." Lily blinked blearily up at her husband.

"What's going on? Is it Harry?" Lily managed to raise her head off of her pillow.

"No!" James was appalled that he'd scared Lily. "No, Harry's all right. You have to get up; it's tradition!"

Lily snorted and stayed where she was, not at all convinced. Desperate now, James took hold of her arm and began tugging. "C'mon! Sirius is probably wondering –"

Just then a loud pop sounded and Sirius appeared, clad in his pyjamas. "What in the bloody hell is taking the pair of you so long?" he demanded. "Are we doing this, or what?"

"That depends on what we're doing," Lily maintained stubbornly.

James and Sirius swapped an incredulous glance, then turned back to face her. "We're sneaking down to the sitting room to open our Christmas presents early, of course," James replied in the tones of one stating the obvious.

"We most certainly are not!" Lily was horrified.

"It's a tradition!" James protested. Sirius nodded vigourously.

"And do your mum and dad know about this tradition?" Lily wanted to know.

"Of course," James and Sirius said simultaneously. "Who else would put the spells on the presents?" Sirius asked reasonably. Lily wasn't quite sure what to say to that.

"I started doing it years ago," James explained. "I'd sneak downstairs, open up my presents, and re-wrap them. After a couple years my mum and dad figured out what I was doing and instead of shouting at me, they decided to teach me a lesson by jinxing the presents. So when I tried to do it the next year, a siren sounded the second I touched one of the packages. Mum and Dad caught me and thought I'd learned my lesson. Bit of a shock for them when I did it again the next year."

"And all the years after that," Sirius put in.

"It's been a contest between us ever since," James grinned. "We've done it every Christmas I've been at home."

"What about last year and the year before?" Lily wanted to know. "I was here then and I didn't see you doing it."

"We waited until you were asleep," James shrugged. "You're not the lightest sleeper in the world, you know." Lily opened her mouth to make a retort, but Sirius cut her off.

"This is all right touching, I'm sure." he drawled impatiently. "But would the pair of you stow it so we can GET ON WITH CHRISTMAS?"

So Lily found herself, in pyjamas and dressing gown, creeping down the stairs between her husband and his best friend, on her way to raid the Christmas tree in the sitting room.

A few feet from the doorway, James stopped and drew his wand, motioning for Lily and Sirius to follow suit. "Shielding Spells, everyone," he whispered, then crept forward.

"Why are we whispering?" Lily hissed to Sirius.

"Some of the spells have been sound-sensitive," he murmured back. "There was one year where I stepped on a creak in the floor and all of the ribbons shot off the packages and tied us up –"

Shhh!" James hissed. Lily, who had no desire to spend the rest of the night trussed up on the sitting room floor, shut up.

Cautiously the three of them crept closer to the tree, inching across the room. James and Sirius clearly expected attack at any moment, which made Lily a bit uneasy. The fact that these two experienced pranksters were so nervous was quite disconcerting.

They got closer and closer to the tree and Lily was just beginning to relax a bit when suddenly a brisk breeze began to stir through the room, whipping Lily's hair round her face. Immediately James and Sirius huddled round Lily, and Sirius shot a spell that she didn't quite catch toward the tree, putting an end to the wind.

They all stood quite still for a few seconds, holding their breath, then James cautiously lifted his head, looking for further threats. When none were forthcoming, he and Sirius relaxed, grinning in triumph.

"Was that it?" Sirius scoffed. "What a letdown."

"My parents must've gone soft in their old age," James smirked.

"Uhh – James?" Lily said slowly, eyes on the Christmas tree, "Where's that whistling sound coming from?"

"I dunno," James frowned as he turned to see what Lily was looking at. "Maybe it's an alarm or some – ahhhh!"

The whistling, as it turned out, was the sound of objects moving through the air at a rapid speed. Objects that turned out to be jets of purple paint.

James, Lily, and Sirius, shrieked and shouted and scrambled for cover, but no matter which way they went, the paint seemed to find them. The doors had sealed themselves off, and by the time they consented to open again, there wasn't a spot on any one of them that wasn't purple.

* * *

"Merry Christmas," Mr. Potter said smugly to Lily, James, and Sirius as they came downstairs the next morning, all three of them a bit bleary-eyed from lack of sleep. "Have I 'gone soft in my old age,' or did I hear the shower running late last night?"

"Very funny," James replied sourly as he plunked down at the breakfast table. Knowing his parents as he did, James didn't bother to ask how his dad had known what he'd said to Lily and Sirius last night. "You've won again; I admit it. Are you happy now?"

"Immensely," Mr. Potter replied tranquilly, sipping his coffee with a decided twinkle in his eyes.

"I was a bit surprised that you dragged poor Lily along with you," Mrs. Potter commented mildly. Lily flushed a bright shade of crimson and busied herself with twirling a lock of hair round her finger, embarrassed to have been caught engaging in such childish behaviour.

"Were you really?" Mr. Potter raised a brow at his wife. "I was more surprised that they didn't bring Harry along, get him started as early as possible."

"You honestly think James is so irresponsible that he'd wake his sleeping baby up in the middle of the night just so Harry could watch us participate in some childish tradition and possibly get hurt in the process?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"Give us a little credit," James put in, aghast.

"Perhaps you and Sirius are a bit more mature than we gave you credit for," Mrs. Potter amended, kissing first James, then Lily and Sirius soundly on the cheek in passing on her way to the kitchen, Mr. Potter trailing behind her in search of more coffee.

Once they were safely out of earshot, Sirius leaned over Lily to whisper to James. "Can't believe we forgot to get Harry!"

"We'll bring him next year," James hissed back, then smiled angelically at Lily, who stared from her husband to Sirius and back again, not quite sure what to say.

The rest of Christmas, thankfully, was much less eventful. After breakfast, they all adjourned to the (miraculously clean) sitting room to open presents. As it turned out, James and Lily weren't the only ones who'd gone a bit mad buying things for Harry. Mr. and Mrs. Potter and Sirius had had similar ideas, so Harry's pile of gifts was quite formidable. Harry tired of ripping the packages open halfway through and seemed quite content to play with the discarded paper and ribbons, no matter how much James and Lily encouraged him to carry on. James and Sirius finally grew impatient with waiting for Harry to regain interest in his presents and opened the rest of the stack for him. Lily privately thought that they were having more fun with Harry's toys than he was.

After an enormous Christmas dinner, they'd all gone to sit by the tree, drinking eggnog and talking about past Christmases. Eventually they'd managed to coax Lily into talking about her childhood holidays, especially her parents, and Lily found that it felt good to talk about her mum and dad.

So they'd all sat up talking until Harry, who had spent the evening alternating between staring at the Christmas tree and chewing on his grandfather's spectacles, finally fell asleep in Sirius' lap, performing a nosedive into the cup of eggnog Sirius had been holding with his free hand.

"Bloody hell!" Sirius exclaimed as the sticky liquid stained his lap.

"You really shouldn't use such language in front of the baby, Sirius," Mrs. Potter said reprovingly as she cleaned up the eggnog with a Scouring Charm.

"Harry doesn't even talk yet," Sirius pointed out crossly. "It's not like he's going to go about repeating it."

"That's what we thought, until James learned his first word," Mr. Potter retorted.

"'Ball?'" James furrowed his brow. "What's wrong with that?"

"We only TOLD you that ball was your first word," Mrs. Potter explained. "Your actual first word was not one that one repeats to an eight-year-old."

"What was James' first word, then?" Lily felt her lips twitching.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Potter ensured that Harry was safely asleep before continuing. "I had James with me one day when I was attempting to repair a cracked cauldron," Mr. Potter began.

"Which you were never very good at," put in Mrs. Potter.

"True," Mr. Potter admitted. His face coloured a bit and he cleared his throat several times before carrying on. "Anyway, I was trying to repair it with a Sealing Spell when I dropped the cauldron on my foot, and – er…… Well, I'm afraid I – er – used quite an - er – an explicit profanity in the heat of the moment, as it were, and James apparently liked the way it sounded, so -"

"We tried to pass it off as 'duck,'" Mrs. Potter explained. "But nobody believed us for a second. We finally had to stop taking James out in public until we managed to teach him a new word."

There was a second or two of stunned silence, then Lily and Sirius burst out laughing, their shoulders shaking and chests heaving as they gasped for breath. And after a few seconds of embarrassed silence, Mr. and Mrs. Potter joined in. The commotion was too much for Harry to ignore, and he stirred, whimpering a bit over having his sleep interrupted.

"You woke the baby up," James, who had turned a dark shade of pink at this story about his own reprehensible youth, said accusingly to his wife, parents, and best friend. "Happy now?"

None of them could get enough breath to formulate a reply.

* * *

January 1981

Severus Snape stepped away from his cauldron and stretched, hoping to relieve the ache in his back that countless hours of potion making had instilled. After consulting the directions for the hundredth time to confirm yet again that the potion needed to steep for an hour, Snape poured a small amount of wine from the jug that sat on his table and sank into a chair with his glass, closing his eyes briefly. He'd always enjoyed conducting the Dark Lord's experiments before, combining potions and spells to create new ones in the hopes that he'd hit upon the right combination and come one step closer to immortality.

But ever since he'd begun spying for the Order, Snape had been deliberately botching his experiments. Not botching them badly enough to draw suspicion, but he made certain that he suffered enough setbacks to slow down the proceedings and garner incorrect results. This had grown more and more difficult since Lord Voldemort had found out about the prophecy; he'd been increasingly more obsessed with his quest for immortality and increasingly impatient over delays. But Snape had managed to evade undue attention, taking care that his setbacks appeared to be inevitable and not through any fault of his own. It had worked thus far, but Snape found himself missing the possibility of success.

An unfamiliar noise entered Snape's consciousness. Tired as he was, it took Snape a moment to identify the sound. Voices, coming from the corridor. Typically the townhouse was silent during the days, each of its inhabitants shut into separate rooms with their experiments; this was indeed an incident that merited further investigation. Snape set his glass down gently and then made his way carefully across the room to the door. There, he pressed his ear to the wood, listening for all he was worth.

After a few seconds, Snape was able to recognize the first voice, which belonged to one of his fellow researchers. Though Snape couldn't make out what he was saying, his tone was decidedly agitated; apparently he was having a disagreement with the other person. Snape waited impatiently for the second voice to speak. After several more seconds of talking and silence, it finally did. And that second voice made Snape's blood run cold. Bellatrix. Snape didn't know why, but Bellatrix was here, in this house.

But before he could process this information more fully, Snape heard the echo of footsteps in the corridor, moving in his direction. Hastily Snape stepped away from the door and returned to his worktable, sprinkling a small vial of potion over the wine jug before he continued to chop the mandrake roots he'd been preparing earlier.

He'd gotten into position not a moment too soon; Snape had barely been at work for thirty seconds when the door swung open and Bellatrix glided in, reminding Snape forcibly of the old days at Hogwarts.

"Miss me, Severus darling?" And Snape looked up to find Bellatrix Black Lestrange standing before him, as coy and as dangerous as ever. Snape watched her dispassionately, unable to believe that he had spent so many years associating with her willingly.

"Bellatrix," Severus said slowly, continuing with his chopping. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this intrusion?" He finished with his mandrake root and moved smoothly onto turtle hearts without missing a beat.

"Curiosity, really," Bellatrix smiled like a sphinx and shrugged, reaching out to toy idly with the adder's tongue waiting to be diced.

"Oh?" Snape raised an inquiring brow at her in passing as he moved to check on the progress of his steeping potion, praying that nothing but indifference showed on his face.

"I was very much hoping," Belllatrix moved over to the cauldron and stood very close to Snape, not quite touching, "that you could enlighten me on a few – matters." She whispered the last word directly into his ear. Snape resisted the impulse to shudder and stepped briskly away.

"I should hardly think so," he said abruptly, carrying on with his work. "You seem always to be so much better informed than I."

"But only when I was in town," Bellatrix was sulky now, the beginnings of one of her dangerously childish moods. At Snape's blank expression, she went on. "Rodolphus and I have spent the last several months traveling Eastern Europe at our master's request, gathering support for him there," Bellatrix's expression was gloating, reveling as always in having an advantage of information.

"I'm in London only briefly," Bellatrix continued when she realized Snape had no intention of questioning her. "Our master has requested that I check up on some old interests." Snape nodded briefly, but wondered, with a trace of alarm, if Bellatrix was referring to Evans. Bellatrix's interest in the prophecy could prove disastrous, both for the Potter child and for his status as a spy.

"What's happened, Severus?" Bellatrix asked, watching him closely. "What has happened to our master? I've never seen him so enraged, so out of temper. Why are all of the Death Eaters so afraid? Everything is different now, but nobody – _nobody _– will tell me a thing."

Quickly Snape strode to a cupboard and rummaged in it, careful not to let Bellatrix see his face. She didn't know. Snape could hardly credit it, but it seemed to be true. Bellatrix didn't know about the prophecy, didn't know about the two children or about the many failed attempts to kill them. Bellatrix, who had always been such a favourite, appeared to be completely in the dark. Severus' head spun as he tried to puzzle out what it meant, what he should do and say.

When he was able to trust his expression again, Snape turned from the cupboard, bearing another jar of turtle hearts. He set these on the table and turned to wash his hands in the stone basin. Bellatrix's eyes followed his every movement; in fact, Snape knew that her eyes had not left him since he'd turned from her.

Hands clean now, Snape drew his wand and conjured a glass, then half filled it with wine. He offered it to Bellatrix, indicated a chair, and tended to his own drink. When they'd both been sipping for a few seconds, Snape began, very carefully, to speak.

"I cannot pretend that I am unaware of what you're referring to," he said, looking down into his glass. Mentally steeling himself, Snape then looked up into Bellatrix's eyes, hoping his expression was convincing. "But unfortunately, I am no better informed about it than you are." Bellatrix snorted delicately into her wineglass, indicating her disbelief.

"I have been trying for months to get information," Snape persisted. "But no one is willing to speak of it. All I know is that our lord is furious, and none of the Death Eaters that I am acquainted with are willing to risk his wrath to enlighten me."

"Tell me another one, pet," Bellatrix drawled, and in that moment she reminded Snape forcibly of Sirius Black. "You were always as well informed as I was; the Dark Lord has taken an interest in you since you were a child. Don't bother to tell me that he'd cut you out now."

"He's grown paranoid in your absence," Snape could be truthful on that score at least. "Our master always liked to have a certain division of information for secrecy purposes, but only a very few know this particular secret, and they're not talking."

Bellatrix watched Snape over the rim of her cup, watched him as a snake watches a bird. "A pity my reasons for being in town are nothing to do with you, Severus darling," she smiled lazily. "I'd enjoy sniffing out your secrets." Leisurely, Bellatrix drained her glass and stood, moving toward the door. There she paused and turned to regard Snape once again. "But keep them for now, pet," Bellatrix whispered, and blew him a kiss. Then, as suddenly as she'd appeared, Bellatrix Lestrange was gone.

For the barest instant, Snape slumped in his chair, relieved beyond measure that he was safe. Then he strode to the cupboard and grabbed his cloak and a map of London, which he spread on the table. Delicately, Snape poured another drop of the Locating Liquid he'd slipped into the wine onto the map and watched the drop settle. Carrying the map with him, Snape slipped on his cloak and went to follow Bellatrix.

* * *

An hour later found Severus on a park bench outside of the Ministry of Magic. He knew it was futile to hope that Bellatrix would come out again with someone or something that would indicate what she had been doing inside the Ministry, but it was Snape's best chance. He hadn't come prepared for a disguise, and he couldn't risk being spotted.

He couldn't help but wonder what Bellatrix had done. A known Death Eater, Bellatrix made it a point to avoid Ministry employees, as an encounter with one of them would inevitably lead to a stay in Azkaban for her. Bellatrix's business in the Ministry must have been urgent indeed for her to risk exposure.

The spy! Snape jolted a bit with the impact of his thoughts. Bellatrix must have been one of the few who knew who the Ministry spy was. After all, spy recruitment had been one of Bellatrix's tasks before she'd been sent to Europe; she'd excelled at blackmail and coercion.

But what business with this spy was so important that Bellatrix had been pulled away from her assignment in Europe to attend to? Snape simply didn't have enough information to hypothesize, and he was not the sort to make wild, uneducated guesses.

Nor was he likely to gather more information sitting here. Snape got to his feet and strode off to find a secluded place to Disapparate. It was time to go to Dumbledore.

* * *

Author's Note:

Thank you, everyone, for waiting so patiently for me to update; I didn't get a single nasty review about it, which I thought was very understanding, considering it's been over a month.

I wanted to mention that PI has been nominated at the Hourglass Awards in the L/J Romance category. Thank you to Sara for the nomination! The link is posted on my profile page; it's not the sort of contest where you can vote, but I think you can sign up to become a judge.

Also, I received an email a while ago that asked me who the most popular PI character was, and I realised that I had no idea. So I thought I'd take an impromptu poll; who's your favourite PI character (original or canon)? Just thought it might be interesting to know.

As always, it's terribly late and I'm off to bed. Till next time, which will hopefully be a lot sooner.

_This chapter is dedicated to Tim. If you'd ever been at Hogwarts, you would definitely have been a Marauder._


	60. Like Old Times

Chapter 59 Like Old Times

February 1981

"Give it up, Potter!"

"Never!" James rolled away from what could have been a crippling blow and launched himself behind the safety of the sofa. He crouched there, catching his breath and wondering what to do next. Much though James hated to admit it, he was getting tired. He needed to find a way to win this duel, and he needed to do it now.

"I've got you cornered," James' opponent moved toward him, smirking evilly. "Face it; you can't win this one."

"That's what you think," James retorted, and flung a bolster at him as hard as he could. His opponent stumbled, distracted, and James launched himself over the sofa to attack.

It would've been perfect if James hadn't caught his foot. Instead of landing neatly on top of his assailant, he knocked into him as he fell and both of them landed with a loud "oof!" beside Harry's baby seat.

Harry laughed and squirmed in his chair. Even though he was fairly certain he'd punctured a lung, James managed to grin up at his son.

"Uhhh."

James' grin widened at the sweet sound of defeat coming from his opponent's general direction. He opened his mouth to gloat, savoring the words –

"Had enough, Darth? Obi Wan?"

James sat up so fast he knocked his head soundly on Harry's baby seat. Shaking off the stars dancing round his skull, James saw Lily and Remus standing by the door, both of them highly amused.

"How long have you been standing there?" James asked with as much dignity as he could muster. He lay back down on the carpet and closed his eyes, hoping that the little stars would go away.

"Long enough, Remus replied. He tried and failed to hide a smile. "Did you finally kill Sirius?"

"I'm here," Sirius wheezed as he sat up rubbing his rib cage. "That was cheap," he complained to James, then looked round at Lily and Remus. "And what exactly did you call us?" he eyed Lily narrowly.

"Never mind." Lily had given up attempting to explain most Muggle references. Instead, she stepped over James with one foot to pick up Harry, apparently forgetting that she was wearing a Muggle skirt.

"What brings you back here so soon?" James folded his arms behind his head as he admired the view.

"Forgot some papers," Lily explained as she stepped back over James and handed him the baby. She had a meeting with her parents' solicitor to go over yet more paperwork, which had prompted Sirius to come and keep James and Harry company. "I was on my way back in to get them when I ran into Remus."

"I thought I'd pop in for a visit," Remus smiled a trifle uncertainly, as if not quite sure of his welcome.

"We're glad you did," Lily told him as she snatched her papers up from the sofa. "I have to run just now, but hopefully I'll see you later."

"All right," Remus gave his hesitant smile again.

Lily crouched down next to her husband and son. "Bye-bye, Harry," Lily waved exaggeratedly at the baby.

"C'mon, Harry, wave like this," James urged, copying Lily's wave. Harry watched his parents wave at him with a slightly concerned expression, as though he wasn't sure they were entirely sane.

"Oh, sod it," Lily relented as she caught sight of the baby's expression. "He isn't going to do it."

"We have to keep trying," James continued to wave at Harry. "Wave to Mummy, Harry," he coaxed. "C'mon, wave like Daddy."

"Stop trying to turn the poor kid into a trained monkey," Sirius offered his two Knuts from where he still lay on the floor. Harry grinned widely at his godfather as if in agreement, displaying his small collection of teeth.

James scowled, but was distracted from giving Sirius the retort he deserved as Lily leaned over to kiss him. "See you later," she whispered in his ear, then kissed Harry on the nose and scurried out the door, late for her appointment.

James smiled after Lily until he couldn't see her anymore, then turned to find that Remus had joined them on the floor.

"So, do you lot do this often?" Remus asked, lips twitching. At James and Sirius' blank expressions, he nodded toward the toy broomsticks from Harry's Quidditch set that James and Sirius had been using as swords in their epic battle.

"We were just entertaining the baby," Sirius snapped. He stood up abruptly and moved toward the sofa, plucking Harry from James along the way.

"So yeah, we do it sort of often," James added sheepishly and shot Sirius an exasperated glare for his rudeness. He suddenly had the feeling that he was in for a long afternoon.

And that feeling ended up being spot on. Sirius refrained from making any more outwardly rude comments, but his behaviour was decidedly odd and he insisted on holding Harry practically all afternoon. Remus was a bit standoffish toward Sirius as well, and he was often studying him when Sirius wasn't looking.

James, who was decidedly uncomfortable with this new frostiness between his two best mates, struggled to maintain the flagging conversation. It went along all right at first as the three of them discussed Harry's christening, which had taken place the previous week, and then moved onto the last Auror meeting, the latest Death Eater activities, and finally memories of their Hogwarts days. But when even that topic began to sag, James found himself wracking his brains for another one, something he could never recall having to do before with Sirius and Remus.

An uncomfortable silence settled over the room as James struggled to think of something, anything to say. "So – " James began, then stopped when he realized he had no idea how he planned to finish that sentence.

"So?" Sirius prompted expectantly. James glared at him.

"So, er, what – where – where do you go during the full moon now, Remus?" James blurted, then fought the impulse to clap his hands over his mouth. Very tactful, Potter, he berated himself. Next you can ask him what color knickers he has on and how much money he earns in a year.

"Er – my parents have a cage for me in their basement," Remus replied, clearly a bit surprised by the question but polite nonetheless. "I've been going there since I came back."

"What!" James was aghast. "A cage?"

"That's what I did before I went to Hogwarts," Remus reminded him. "It isn't so bad; I've gotten used to it again."

James waved this off. "For next month, at least, Sirius, Peter, and I are taking you out," he informed Remus. "Just like old times."

"James, I don't –" Sirius began

"You don't have to –" Remus started in as well.

"We're going," James said firmly, eyeing Sirius. "I'm only sorry I didn't think of it before," he added to Remus. "Or you wouldn't have had to spend all these months in that cage."

"Are you sure this is the best idea, Prongs? 'S'not like you don't have other things to worry about," Sirius nodded toward Harry, who was propped in Sirius' lap playing with a teething ring.

But James refused to be deterred. He felt utterly horrible for forgetting about Remus; it bothered James more than he cared to admit to think of Remus locked in a cage in his parents' basement. James immediately sent an owl to Peter, and he came less than an hour later, bubbling over with excitement and plans.

Peter's enthusiasm proved to be contagious, and eventually even Sirius had come round to the idea. Peter was so enthusiastic, in fact, that he refused to allow James to even think of coming back to spend the days with Lily and Harry.

"We'll make a holiday of it," he coaxed James. "Lily and Harry can stay with your mum and dad or something; it'll be a holiday for them too. C'mon, James; it won't be any fun otherwise."

"All right," James capitulated. This little outing sounded like way too much fun to pass up.

"Brilliant!" Peter beamed. "Where should we go first?"

"I hear there's a vampire meeting at the Hog's Head," Sirius smirked.

"Please, Padfoot," Peter scoffed. "Like I'd be thick enough to fall for that one again."

"Sure you would," James and Remus said in unison.

They all laughed at that, even Peter, and for the first time that afternoon it really was like old times.

* * *

February 1981 

Peter lay on his bed in his mother's house, one arm flung over his eyes, and willed himself to go to sleep. Everything hurt less when he was asleep, so Peter had been spending most of his time lately either sleeping or attempting to.

He was only just now getting back on his feet without the benefit of any spells, but it still hurt to walk, to laugh, to – well, to do anything, really.

It had been nearly a month since it happened. Peter had been at his boring job in the Improper Use of Magic office, sealing letters and wishing for someone to put him out of his misery, when she'd walked in. Bellatrix.

She'd been in disguise, of course, but it was one she'd used before, so Peter hadn't had any trouble recognizing her. As if anybody else could have had those eyes anyway. And as always, Peter had felt his heart trip just a bit faster.

His pulse had spun out of control when Bellatrix had suggested that they leave together. Looking back on it now, Peter wondered why he'd been so naïve. Bellatrix had seemed just a bit too excited at the prospect of spending time with him; she'd never been that enthusiastic about it before, not even when they'd first begun – spending time together.

Peter had quickly discovered the reason for Bellatrix's eagerness. They'd gone to a dingy house in a remote corner of London and Bellatrix had tortured him for hours. Then the hours had stretched into days. Sometimes there had been an audience – the Dark Lord himself had come fairly often – but mostly it was just the two of them. Audience or no, Bellatrix had relished every minute of it. Peter had never before met anyone who enjoyed hurting people quite as much as Bellatrix did. Or anyone who did it with quite the same flair.

Eventually, she'd told him why he was there. It had been his punishment for his mistake with the Evanses. The Dark Lord had been disappointed, so he'd sent for Bellatrix to "express his displeasure" to Peter. He was pretty sure that was the phrase Bellatrix had used.

By the time it was over, Peter had got the message. It had taken him almost an hour to make his way out of the house so that he could Apparate home. He'd finally managed it and had then had to deal with his hysterical mother when she'd seen the state he was in. Apparently Bellatrix or someone sent her an owl telling her that Peter was on a business trip; nobody had ever said the Death Eaters weren't thorough.

Peter had told his mother that he'd been mugged, begged her not to tell anyone, and then had staggered into his room before the world went dark.

He'd awoken a day and a half later, but it had been another day before he'd been able to make it to work. They were thoroughly pissed off with him in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office for taking so long over his "family emergency;" Peter had had to go to the department head's office and listen to him rant on about unreliability and obligation and common courtesy. And the whole time Peter had had the most overwhelming urge to giggle.

But his Ministry job was more or less safe (not that Peter would have been devastated if it weren't) and he could concentrate on more important matters. After his session with Bellatrix, Peter knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would do whatever it took to avoid displeasing his master again. Whatever it took, even if he had to steal Harry in plain view of everyone. Peter knew instinctively that he couldn't survive another session like that with Bellatrix.

This trip with James, Sirius, and Remus was the answer to Peter's prayers. He'd be with them for three days, he would be able to find out more about how Harry was being protected, who they suspected of being the spy, what James and Lily's schedule was for the next few weeks. And Peter would talk to Sirius and Remus separately, try to convince each of them that he suspected the other one was the spy.

Yes, Peter was looking forward to this little full moon outing. It was just possible that it would provide him with a chance to redeem himself into his master's good graces.

* * *

It was two weeks later when the Marauders went to Hogsmeade for the full moon, all of them in high spirits. They Apparated in front of Honeyduke's and then proceeded to the cottage just outside of town that Peter had insisted on renting for the weekend. They quickly dropped their bags there and headed back into town for an early dinner at the Three Broomsticks, Sirius complaining about the cottage Peter had rented all the while. 

"Honestly, Wormtail, you couldn't have checked the place out before you doomed the whole bloody lot of us to the place for the next three nights and two days?" Sirius groused.

"Sorry the cottage isn't up to your usual standards," Peter sniffed indignantly as he brushed past Sirius into the pub. "Not all of us have jobs as Aurors and rich uncles who kick the bucket and leave us fortunes, you know."

"My 'usual standards?'" Sirius glared. "It smells like Uncle Alphard died in there!"

"Okay, it's a bit musty," Peter admitted defensively. He turned to appeal to James and Remus. "But it doesn't smell THAT bad, does it?"

"Hate to be the one to tell you, Wormtail, but I have to side with Padfoot on this one," Remus said. "It definitely smells like something died in that cottage."

"Died after boiling cabbage and not bathing for days," James amended Remus' statement.

"Humph," was all Peter could come up with before Madame Rosmerta descended on them with a greeting.

After dinner, the Marauders set out for the Shrieking Shack so that James, Sirius, and Peter could help Remus break in to start his transformation. Once he was safely inside, the other three could change and make their way to the Hogwarts grounds and the Whomping Willow. They'd decided that it was too dangerous for Remus to be seen on the grounds in his human form; even James and Sirius didn't know how they'd explain that one to Professor Dumbledore if they were seen.

James, Sirius, and Peter kept watch from various points around the Shrieking Shack until they saw a stream of red sparks coming from one of the windows, the signal that all was well with Remus. Then James and Sirius went to locate Peter; the less walking about he did in the dark, the better.

James scanned the bushes on the wooded side of the Shack where Peter had been assigned, trying to locate his friend. "Peter?" he called softly.

"Oww!" someone howled from a nearby bush.

"Looks like we found him," Sirius drawled from behind James.

Once they were all assembled and had taken care of Peter's bush-related injury (which had consisted of Sirius telling Peter to stop being a nancy boy about it), Sirius, James, and Peter raised their wands to begin their own transformations.

James closed his eyes and focused all of his energy on the change. Becoming a stag had never been easy, but tonight it was harder than usual. He hadn't done it in a long time, not since he'd married Lily. Weird to think how different things had been before…

Finally James managed it. He stretched, arching his back and rotating his neck in an effort to get used to being a stag once again. After so much time, it felt slightly odd to be Prongs. James took a few hesitant steps; so far, so good.

Nearby Prongs saw Padfoot getting used to his other form as well, scratching his side vigourously against a tree. Peter was still morphing into rat form, frowning and sweating slightly in concentration as he shrank. It had always taken Peter longer than James and Sirius to transform, and required a bit more effort too. But it wasn't something that any of them, not even Sirius, ever mentioned.

At last Peter was gone and Wormtail came to stand in front of Prongs, twitching his whiskers inquiringly. Prongs jerked his antlers in the general direction of the Hogwarts grounds, and Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were off to find Moony.

* * *

Padfoot, with Wormtail on his shoulder, crept toward the Whomping Willow. They'd decided beforehand that Prongs should hide at the edge of the forest until Wormtail had deactivated the Willow; a stag would draw a lot more unwanted attention than a dog or a rat. 

Wormtail leapt from Padfoot's shoulder as they neared their destination and darted toward the tree. But before he could reach the safety of the branches, a pair of very large, very human hands scooped him up. Wormtail let out a shrill warning squeal and struggled to get down, but it didn't do him any good. Trembling with fear, Wormtail looked up…and recognized Hagrid.

"'Ello there, little feller," Hagrid greeted him as one huge fingertip stroked Wormtail's ears. "Bit far from home, aren't yeh?"

Wormtail stayed very still, trembling in a very rat-like way.

"Who do yeh belong ter, then?" Hagrid asked Wormtail as he continued to pet him. "I 'eard one o' the Gudgeon boys talking abou' losin' a pet rat."

Wormtail's eyes bulged; the last thing he needed was to be turned over to Davey Gudgeon's younger brothers; Davey might have been the worst of the lot, but none of the Gudgeon family were exactly noted for their good sense and intelligence. He let out another squeal and glanced frantically into the shadows behind the Whomping Willow where Padfoot was likely to be hiding.

Apparently Padfoot took this as his cue that Wormtail had suffered enough. He came loping toward Hagrid, his tail wagging.

"'Ere, boy!" Hagrid coaxed, bending down to reach out to the dog. "That's a good boy, come 'ere!"

Wormtail waited till Hagrid bent a bit further, then leaped from his hands, digging his claws in for good measure. Hagrid yelped in pain, but Wormtail didn't look back; he hit the ground running and moved as fast as he could toward the Whomping Willow.

Padfoot caught Prongs' eye, telling him silently to go on ahead with Wormtail and Moony while he distracted Hagrid. Prongs bowed his antlered head once in assent and watched in amusement as Padfoot trotted off in the opposite direction, Hagrid trailing behind.

* * *

It was well into the afternoon before James finally managed to wake up enough to even consider getting up. After several false starts, he lurched his way into the cottage's main room to find himself alone. Giving a mental shrug, James went in search of the coffee he was pretty sure he'd brought. 

Apparently he hadn't, though, or he would've found it; the cottage wasn't big enough to lose anything in. James was just getting frustrated enough to actually venture into Hogsmeade in search of caffeine when he spotted a piece of paper covered in familiar handwriting.

"Prongs –" Sirius' note read.

"Peter and I went to have a drink at the Three Broomsticks; come join us if you want. If not, you and Moony can meet us for dinner at five thirty."

"Sirius

"PS – We drank all of your coffee."

"Bloody bastard," James muttered, crumpling the note.

"Who, me?"

"Gah!" James spun to find Remus standing by the door, clutching a paper bag. "Oh, it's just you," James relaxed.

"Thanks," Remus grimaced at him.

"Well, it's better than "oh no, not you again,'" James pointed out testily. "Where've you been, anyway?" he nodded toward Remus' bag.

"Thought maybe you could use some food," Remus replied, unpacking enough sandwiches to feed them both for at least a week. He turned to grin at James. "I figured anyone who spent the night with his head as close to that toilet as you did deserved for someone to do something nice for them."

"Ha, ha," James said sourly, and reached for a sandwich. Knowing when to back off, Remus picked up a sandwich as well and silence filled the cottage.

"Why were you sleeping in the bathroom anyway?" Remus wanted to know after a while. "I don't remember anyone doing any drinking, but then my memory of last night is hardly the most accurate."

"Nobody was drinking," James replied around a mouthful of ham. "There wasn't enough room to sleep in here."

"So you slept in the loo?" Remus wrinkled his nose. "What in Merlin's name possessed you to do that? Considering the way this dump smells, you don't think the rest of us would've shoved over a bit so you wouldn't have to have your face near the mankiest toilet ever? You're probably going to need experimental medicine or something."

"I did sleep out here for a bit, but I kept waking up with Peter's arse in my face," James explained. "Since I don't Beat for that team, I decided to go and sleep in the bathroom."

"Um…oh," was all Remus could think to say.

"It seemed like the logical thing to do at the time," James explained.

Remus wisely kept his own council about James' logic and decided to change the subject instead. "Where did Sirius and Peter go?"

"To have a drink at the Three Broomsticks," James' voice was muffled as he ate another sandwich.

Remus' eyes sharpened a fraction. "Whose idea was that?" he asked lightly, toying with a bread crust.

"Dunno," James shrugged and reached for his sandwich again. When he caught sight of Remus' expression, though, he decided to take a smaller bite. "Why do you ask?" James inquired in an equally casual voice.

Remus shrugged. "No reason, it's just that it's only three thirty in the afternoon," he replied. "Thought it was a bit odd."

"Nobody said they were going to down a fifth of Firewhiskey," James pointed out reasonably. "They could've gone for butterbeer or something."

"True," Remus' smile was a bit off. "Forget I said anything."

"Okay," James said evenly, "I'll forget you ever asked such stupid questions about two mates going to have a drink if you tell me what this is really about."

"What do you mean?" Remus gave a fairly convincing impression of innocence. Or fairly convincing to someone who hadn't known him since he was eleven years old, anyway.

"Cut the crap, Remus," James replied. "What's going on?"

Remus sighed. "Do you know anything about wolves, James?"

"Not too much," James admitted impatiently. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Do you know anything about the way a wolf pack hunts, James? Have you ever seen them do it?" Remus carried on as though he hadn't been interrupted. James shook his head silently.

"I learned a lot about wolves while I was away. When a wolf pack is stalking a herd, it separates the weakest ones from the rest," Remus explained. "The wolves go after the weakest animals because they know that those are the ones they can lure, the ones they can frighten into doing something stupid. And once the weak animals do that stupid thing, it's the last mistake they ever make. Do you see what I'm getting at?"

"I'm not sure," James answered, studying Remus' face. "Maybe you'd better spell it out for me; I just woke up, and Sirius stole my coffee."

"I'm just saying that if we see that the weak ones are being isolated by wolves, we should do something before more damage is done to our herd," Remus said softly.

"Sirius isn't the spy, Remus," James stated flatly. "I know he isn't; I'd stake my life, and Lily's life, and even Harry's life on it."

"I know he's your friend, James," Remus sighed. "He's my friend too. But what could he possibly have to say to Peter that he couldn't say in front of us?"

"How do you know it wasn't Peter's idea to go and have a drink?" James shot back. "Hell, how do you know they aren't talking about last night or women or work or the Order or any one of a million other topics that have nothing to do with Voldemort's cause?"

"I don't," Remus replied. "But I don't know that they aren't talking about Voldemort's cause, either. Just like I don't know that Sirius isn't the spy."

"That's ridiculous," James snapped.

"I hope it is," Remus said. "But until we know for sure, James, I don't think you should go staking your wife and son's life on Sirius' innocence."

* * *

"Carefully, caaaarefullyyyy…" Lily chanted under her breath as she pointed her wand at another ornament and guided it into the waiting box. She made sure that the delicate ornament wasn't going to tip over before moving onto the next one. "Almost done," she told herself, surveying her handiwork. 

Lily was standing on the very top of a ladder, undecorating the Christmas tree. True, Christmas had been two months ago, but Harry had loved the Christmas tree so much that Lily hadn't wanted to take it down.

She still didn't want to get rid of the tree, but it was looking decidedly sad; even the freshening charms she put on it periodically weren't really working anymore. The rug underneath the tree was covered with brown needles, and a person had only to walk by the tree for another shower of needles to fall.

So as soon as she and Harry had returned from the Potters' and she'd gotten Harry to sleep, Lily had seized the opportunity to take down the tree without protests from the baby. She felt a bit guilty, not to mention cowardly, for doing it this way, but it had to be done and Lily didn't want to traumatize Harry or something by doing it in front of him…..

"What in Merlin's name are you doing!"

"Gaah!" Lily jumped at James' unexpected greeting. Unfortunately, the sudden movement proved more than the ladder could take, and Lily lost her balance and toppled to the floor.

"Oh, shit!" James, his Quidditch reflexes kicking in, sprinted forward and caught Lily before she hit the ground.

"Oof!" Lily and James said simultaneously as Lily landed hard in James' arms and James staggered with the impact and struggled to stay standing.

"I think you mashed my lung," James wheezed.

"Serves you right!" Lily snapped at him. "You just knocked ten years off my life with your shouting!"

"How did you think I'd react to seeing you standing at the very top of a ladder!" James defended himself. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to do that? It's dangerous!"

"Didn't anyone ever teach _you_ not to sneak up on people standing on ladders?" Lily retorted. "That's dangerous as well, in case you hadn't –"

Lily broke off as James, struck by the fact that he was wasting a perfectly good romantic reunion, kissed her.

"What was that for?" Lily asked a while later.

"I missed you," James replied, shifting Lily surreptitiously. He knew better than to mention it, but his arms were getting tired. "Where's Harry?"

"Asleep," Lily answered, cottoning on to James' intentions.

"Good," James grinned and made his way across the sitting room.

Lily smiled back up at him. "I missed you too," she said, running a hand through James' hair.

"I know," James smirked, and kicked the bedroom door shut behind them.

* * *

Author's Note: 

Hi, everyone!

Well, I've updated in slightly under a month this time; that's progress, right?

As always, thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter – I do love to hear from people, and it was very interesting to find out who your favourite characters were. Some of the answers were a bit unexpected.

The character who got the most votes, by the way, was Sirius. Next was James; he only had one less vote than Sirius did. Snape and Harry got more votes than I expected (even I don't like Snape, and Harry's only a baby in my story) but the one that was really surprising to me was Bellatrix. I didn't expect that anyone would vote for her as their all-around favourite. So now you know who the most popular character is, Ashley.

It's really late now, so I'm off to bed. Till next time!


	61. The Birthday Party

Chapter 60 The Birthday Party

July 31, 1981

Lily stepped into the kitchen and closed the door, shutting out the party sounds coming from the sitting room. She sighed in the newfound silence and went about the business of retrieving birthday cake and candle from their respective hiding places. The sight of the birthday candle, a red wax "1" with a wick that put most sticks of dynamite to shame, brought a smile to Lily's face; James had picked the candle out and it was genuinely huge. Too huge for the cake, really, but James had argued that since Harry would only get one candle on his cake this year, they'd best make that one candle count. The fact that said candle was easily twice as big as the one that had graced Neville Longbottom's cake yesterday was merely a coincidence. Or so James insisted -

"Lils?" James stuck his head in the room.

"Ack!" Lily exclaimed, startled. "Merlin's beard, don't DO that!"

"Sorry," James grinned unrepentantly. "Just thought I'd let you know that my parents are here."

Lily abandoned the cake preparations and followed her husband into the sitting room where Mr. and Mrs. Potter were greeting the rest of their guests.

It was a small party, only the very closest of friends and James' parents, and on a much smaller scale than she'd imagined her baby's first birthday, but to Lily it felt like one of the Marchbanks's famous balls of old. It had been a very long time since she, James, and their friends had had anything to celebrate.

The spring and summer of 1981 had been long and bloody for the wizarding world. Death Eater attacks, which had been dwindling, picked up again as Voldemort's followers seemed to grow in number and confidence. Muggle borns and anyone with known anti-Voldemort opinions stayed away from public places at night and episodes of Muggle baiting had become so frequent that even the notoriously oblivious Muggle population was aware that something was going on.

Lily and James, along with the rest of the Order of the Phoenix, had continued to do what they could, but recent events had crippled the Order badly. The spy they'd known about for so long seemed to be able to access new levels of information and often managed to put a stop to Order missions before they could even start. If not for Albus Dumbledore, Lily was convinced, the Order would have shut down entirely.

Dumbledore continued to receive information from his various sources and managed to do a considerable amount of good with it. He also persisted with his interest in Harry and Neville's safety, arranging even more guards and spells for both the Potters and the Longbottoms and popping by often to check up on them

"Excellent!" Mrs. Longbottom's strident tones rang out as she strode over to the professor with a serving dish and plates, the vulture atop her hat quivering in her haste. "You both must have some toad in the hole," she ordered. She dumped a large portion of it unceremoniously onto two plates and thrust them into the Potters' hands before marching off in search of her next victim.

"Maybe we ought to warn them," Alice whispered in Lily's ear. The pair of them watched with horror as Mr. and Mrs. Potter dug in. Mrs. Longbottom had arrived on Lily and James' doorstep bearing a large dish and declaring "One can't have a party without toad in the hole." This latest pronouncement, Lily was sure, had nothing to do with the fact that Mrs. Longbottom had served an identical dish of toad in the hole the previous day at Neville's birthday party, which hadn't been eaten then either because it was, as Sirius put it, "bloody disgusting."

Lily stifled a snicker, but a familiar owl hovering just outside the sitting room window distracted her before she could answer Alice. Quickly Lily opened the window and accepted the owl's message before anyone else could notice.

It was a tiny scrap of parchment bearing only four words: "Rear bedroom, two minutes." The handwriting was smudged and scrawled as though it had been written in a great hurry, but familiar nonetheless.

"Who's it from?" Dorcas asked casually. She and Alice had come to stand next to Lily and peer curiously at the message over her shoulder.

Lily crumpled the message in her fist before they could see. "Work thing," she explained. "I've been doing a few things for the Department of Mysteries, and – well, it's all very hush-hush," she rolled her eyes for good measure.

"All right," Dorcas replied mildly, though Lily could see she wasn't buying a bit of it. Lily merely smiled at her friends and moved casually back into the party, stopping to check on Harry before slipping down the corridor toward the rear guest bedroom.

* * *

Severus Snape squinted into the bright July day, keeping his gaze fixed on the window where he'd sent his owl. He'd taken a significant risk; if someone besides Evans or Dumbledore intercepted his message, matters would be complicated further. But it was a risk he'd had to take. His situation had just become even more precarious.

It had happened early this morning. Snape had been finishing up with an intricate experiment he'd spent another sleepless night perfecting when the door had burst unceremoniously open and Bellatrix Black Lestrange had strolled into the room.

Bellatrix hadn't lasted long in Eastern Europe after her visit to London in January. She and Rodolphus had returned to England in March and had resumed their places in the Dark Lord's inner circle. Whether the Lestranges had been summoned or had simply grown bored with the East Snape did not know.

With Bellatrix and Rodolphus once more dominating the London front, Death Eater activity had increased tenfold. The spring and summer had been rife with Mudblood attacks and Muggle baitings, a productive time by Death Eater standards and due in large part to the Lestranges' enthusiasm. Their reputation with the Dark Lord had never been better, and Snape had heard it said that they were privy to all of his secrets.

There was one secret that Snape knew the Lestranges were not aware of: the prophecy. Whether Voldemort didn't trust Bellatrix and Rodolphus as much as he implied or was merely channeling his paranoia in a new direction was anyone's guess, but the Dark Lord had told Snape and the others who were aware of it that the prophecy was to be kept secret, and the consequences would be dire for anyone who spread the tale.

Snape had been concerned at first; it seemed highly likely that Bellatrix would seek him out for information as she had done in January. But his path and Bellatrix's hadn't crossed at all since she'd returned to London. Whether she'd gathered new sources of information or was simply too busy plotting mayhem, Bellatrix seemed to have forgotten about Severus.

But apparently the months without contact had lulled Snape into a false sense of security, and Bellatrix had merely been biding her time. She'd stood before him this morning, smiling a chilling smile and studying Snape and his work with as much uncanny interest as she ever had.

"Bellatrix," Snape had managed.

"Severus," Bellatrix had returned mockingly. She'd come into the room and shut the door, just as she had in January. Uneasily Snape had wondered if she'd come to ask him for information again. But he soon learned that predicting Bellatrix's actions was as pointless as attempting to reason with her.

"It's been an age, pet," Bellatrix had helped herself to a chair and gestured for him to sit as well. "I hadn't seen you out and about since I returned to merry old England, so I've had to seek you out again. You really are too reclusive, Severus darling."

"Did you want something, Bellatrix?" Snape had never had any patience for small talk, but he consented to sit. No need to bait a tiger, after all.

"Charming as ever, I see," Bellatrix's smile had widened. "Lovely to know some things never change."

"So this is a social call?" Snape had raised an inquiring brow.

"You've caught me, pet," Bellatrix had seemed amused. "I've come to ask for your help."

"With what, exactly?" Snape had been distinctly nervous. The favours that Bellatrix asked tended to be tricky.

"Our master has asked for my help in a very sticky area," Bellatrix had explained. "I've been asked back to London to concentrate my talents on discovering which of our Death Eaters is Dumbledore's spy."

Snape had remained silent as a bolt of fear raced through his body and settled in his stomach. "Really," he had commented as soon as he trusted himself to speak again. "Does the Dark Lord have a new reason for concern?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out, Severus darling," Bellatrix had laughed, twisting more knots into Snape's stomach.

"Why are you telling me this, Bellatrix?" Snape had tried to remain calm, tried not to jump to any conclusions.

"Because I was counting on your help with this little problem," Bellatrix had replied. "Our master and I are depending upon it. You've always been so good at discovering people's dirty little secrets, Severus darling. All you have to do is continue to do that, and then report your findings back to me. It'll be fun, pet. Just like old times." Bellatrix's eyes had shone at the prospect.

"I do not have time to play ridiculous games with you, Bellatrix," Snape had swallowed his fear and attempted to sound irritated. "My work for the Dark Lord is at a crucial stage and requires –"

"Oh, this won't take up much of your so valuable time, pet," Bellatrix had reached over to pat his hand in a condescending show of sympathy. "You haven't been nearly social enough lately from what I've been told; think of this as your reason to participate."

Bellatrix had wandered over to the simmering cauldron, toying idly with a ladle. Snape had half turned in his seat to watch her; somehow he hadn't wanted to turn his back on Bellatrix. "I have no desire to take on this assignment," he had reiterated.

"But you're so good at it," Bellatrix had pouted. "It'll be ever so much fun. Unless, of course, there's a reason you don't want to participate."

Bellatrix's eyes had bored into his, cunning, gleaming eyes that were searching for his secrets. And Snape had known that he was in very real danger. So he'd agreed to help Bellatrix search out the Death Eater spy, his heart pounding in his ears all the while.

Snape had gotten rid of Bellatrix as quickly as possible, then used every ounce of his considerable willpower to prevent himself from running to Dumbledore posthaste. Instead, he'd Sealed his door and sat down to think what was best to do.

Going to Hogwarts had been out of the question; it would have immediately proclaimed him as Dumbledore's spy, and it was likely that he would be followed. Snape hadn't imagined the speculative suspicion in Bellatrix's eyes. Going into hiding would be equally telling. Still, Snape had doubts about his ability to misdirect this investigation. He'd managed it at Hogwarts, but if someone else was blamed this time, they'd likely end up dead.

Eventually, Snape had come to a decision. He'd go out to a pub or some such thing and determine whether or not he was in fact being followed. Once he was sure it was safe, he'd make his way to the Potters' flat. It was the most secure place Snape could think of as well as the last place anyone would think to look for a lone Death Eater. If the Order thought a Death Eater was lurking they'd relocate the Potters immediately, and the Dark Lord had made it clear that he would be severely displeased with anyone who caused this to happen. As a result the Death Eaters avoided the place like the plague unless specifically ordered to go there.

Once Snape was inside, he could get a message to Dumbledore through Evans. And talk to her as well; Lily Evans may have had reprehensible taste in men, but Snape respected her intelligence and her level head. It was just possible that she'd be of some use in this situation.

And so here he was, skulking, essentially, in the shadows underneath the Potters' flat engulfed in a cloaking spell, waiting for someone to notice his owl and praying it was the right person. Snape had had no idea they'd be having some sort of celebration today. But then James Potter would be just reckless and arrogant enough to host a party while his family was virtually in hiding. Snape's lip curled in contempt at the thought of his old nemesis. But before that train of though could progress much further, the window opened and Lily Evans Potter accepted the owl's message. Scarcely able to believe his luck, Severus Snape started to make his way round the building.

* * *

Peter Pettigrew toyed idly with a beer and watched as his friends talked and laughed together at Harry Potter's first birthday party. Lily, Dorcas and Alice were playing with Neville on the sofa, Remus, Morwenna, and Frank were having an animated discussion nearby, Mrs. Longbottom was delivering a monologue to Mr. Longbottom as they both ate plates of her toad in the hole, Mr. and Mrs. Potter were coaxing Harry to try saying new words, and Sirius and James, together as ever, were laughing over some private joke in a corner.

Peter took a sip of his drink to disguise his smirk. It was a matter of great personal satisfaction to him that Sirius and James weren't laughing with Remus too. Oh, nobody had ever done or said anything openly, and Sirius and Remus were still perfectly friendly on the surface, but the suspicions were there and the damage had been done. Peter knew because he was the one doing the damage.

The Marauders' full moon holiday had been the start of it. Peter had taken the opportunity to have a drink alone with Sirius in the Three Broomsticks, fully expecting to have to make up stories about catching Remus at suspicious things, maybe even bringing up Kathleen's missing notebooks.

But it had all been amazingly easy. In the end, Peter had done more listening than talking, and he'd only had to embellish a bit.

"So," Peter had begun nervously as they'd sat together in the Three Broomsticks, butterbeers in hand, "I've been wanting to talk to you about something."

"All right," Sirius had replied casually enough, but Peter had been able to tell that he was on his guard.

"It – it's about Remus," Peter had gone on. "Does he – does he seem a bit, well, OFF to you since…"

"Since what?" Sirius had continued to play it cool, but Peter wasn't as stupid as Sirius tended to believe.

"Well, since that whole – business – with Kathleen and since he – went away," Peter had trailed off uncertainly.

"What are you saying exactly?" Sirius had continued to sip butterbeer and Peter had experienced an overwhelming urge to wipe that cool expression off his face, to do something mad, like scream the truth to him loud enough for all the world to hear.

"Well?" Sirius had prompted him impatiently. Peter had drawn in a shaky breath and when he was sure his mad impulse had passed, went on.

"It's just – well, Kathleen lived with Remus, she was close to finding the spy inside the Order, but she was murdered in their flat before she could expose the spy, then her notebooks disappeared, and Remus went away and then came back just before Harry and Lily were attacked…." Peter trailed off again. "It all fits in a way, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," Sirius had sighed defeatedly. Peter had nearly fallen off his chair at this unequivocal agreement. "It all fits in a way, and it absolutely kills me that it does."

"Do you think –" Peter had scarcely dared to breathe, "do you think Remus might be the Order spy?"

"I'm afraid that he might be," Sirius had been clearly miserable. "And I hate thinking Remus might be capable of it. The old Remus we used to know wouldn't have been. But the fact is he's changed a good bit since we knew him at Hogwarts and he's changed even more since he disappeared for all those months."

"And he's close to Lily and James AND Frank and Alice," Peter had picked up the line of thought. "And Dumbledore trusts him, tells him things. He's in a perfect position to pick up on loads of the information we know is being passed to You Know Who."

Sirius had sent Peter a disgusted glance at the euphemism but for once refrained from commenting on it. "I hate thinking that it might be one of us," he'd said instead. "One of the Marauders."

"What do you think we should do?" Peter had asked. He hadn't wanted to show it, but Sirius' remarks had made him squirm a bit with the old guilt.

"I've tried talking to James, but he refuses to believe it," Sirius had replied. "And we don't have a shred of proof. All we can do is watch – and prevent Remus from having any sort of information or opportunity to hurt Harry."

Peter had started to argue that they had to do something more, but James and Remus had interrupted them when they came into the pub to meet them for an early dinner before another full moon. He'd had a few more furtive meetings with Sirius on the subject, but Sirius was adamant. He refused to rat out a fellow Marauder without some sort of proof.

Eventually Peter had turned to Remus in desperation, hoping to persuade Remus that Sirius was the spy and should be turned in. Removing either Remus or Sirius would make Peter's path to Harry that much more open and remove the cloud of suspicion that hung over the Order, making it that much easier to pick up information for the Dark Lord's cause without getting caught. And Peter needed that security.

So he'd arranged to meet Remus in the Leaky Cauldron one night in April. Peter was fairly certain that Remus had some private suspicions about Sirius; the two circled each other whenever they met with a wariness that reminded Peter of their animal counterparts. Still, Remus had always been the logical, cautious one, so Peter had been prepared to tread carefully.

Peter remembered how surprised and relieved he'd been to find out that Remus' suspicions were stronger than he'd thought, remembered huddling in a corner of the pub with Remus and discussing what was best to do in hushed voices.

"It fits," Remus had said, unaware that he was echoing Sirius. "It fits almost perfectly. He's got access to all sorts of information as both an Order member and as an Auror."

"And he's so close to Lily and James," Peter had put in. "He has their trust and knows their routine. No one would be able to lead the Death Eaters to Harry more easily. And don't forget about that time at Hogwarts when Sirius told Snape to go under the Whomping Willow."

"I'd thought of that," Remus had looked suddenly old. "I think about what Sirius almost did to Snape, and I wonder. But both James and Lily refuse to hear a word against Sirius."

But when Peter had suggested taking action, Remus, like Sirius, had backed away. "Sirius has done some stupid things in his time, but spying for Lord Voldemort? That goes way beyond practical jokes. I'm not sure Sirius is capable of that, and I refuse to turn in my old friend without solid proof," Remus had been definite. "But I'll be watching him."

Peter smirked again as he watched both of them now, each unobtrusively keeping an eye on the other. What would they say if they knew that it was him they should be watching, that it was slow, stupid little Peter who was the one not to be trusted? It was the greatest prank of all time, bigger and better than any the Marauders had ever pulled at Hogwarts.

Peter was so caught up in his triumph that he didn't even notice as Lily Evans Potter slipped out of the sitting room and down the corridor, her scrap of parchment clutched in her fist.

* * *

"He did not!" Sirius choked with laughter. "You're bamming me!"

"He really did!" James put a hand theatrically over his heart. "Marauder's honour!"

"My arse!" Sirius snorted. "We Marauders make it a point not to have any honour."

"It's still true," James insisted. "He pointed right at Mrs. Longbottom and said: 'Uh-oh!' You know how Harry loves to say that!"

"You're daft!" Sirius retorted. "Babies Harry's age can't do that!"

"But Harry's a genius!" James shot back.

He was regaling Sirius with tales of Neville's party, which Sirius had had to miss because he'd been part of the Order guard that had stood outside.

When Mrs. Longbottom had left the party yesterday to offer the Order members some of her toad in the hole, Lily and James, who had been carrying Harry, had taken the opportunity to comment on it.

"We have to make sure she doesn't feed any of it to Harry or Neville," James had said, shuddering. "I don't know what she did to that toad in the hole, but innocent children shouldn't be forced to eat it!"

"Maybe we can hide it in the plants," Lily had suggested, rifling round in her bag for one of Harry's toys."

"Yeah, if we want to kill the plant," James had cracked, and he and Lily had begun to snicker.

"Uh-oh!" Harry, who had been peering over James' shoulder at the party, pointed at something. "Uh-oh, uh-oh!"

"There's no 'uh-oh,' Harry, don't worry," James had patted the baby's back absently. "I know! Maybe Mrs. Longbottom makes the toad in the hole with vulture instead. Then she gets dinner and a hat decoration all in one!" James had laughed so hard over the idea, he hadn't even noticed when Lily stopped.

"Uh-oh!" Harry had repeated his favourite word more insistently. "UH-OH!"

"What's wrong with you, mate?" James had asked his son."Can you see what Harry's so worried about, Lils?" Then he'd caught sight of Lily's face. "Mrs. Longbottom is standing right behind me, isn't she?" James finally cottoned on.

"It seems your son has more tact than you do, James Potter." Even though he'd known she was there, James had still jumped at the sound of Mrs. Longbottom's voice, which had indeed been coming from directly behind him.

"Hi, Mrs. Longbottom," James, his face beet red, had finally turned around. "Lovely party."

"Perhaps you'd like some more toad in the hole then," Mrs. Longbottom had led the way to the refreshments, Lily, James, and Harry trailing behind her.

"Yeah, right," Sirius still didn't buy into James' story.

"I'm telling you, Harry was trying to warn me she was there!" James insisted yet again.

"Sure he was, mate," Sirius shook his head.

We've come a long way since our Hogwarts days, James thought as he surveyed his best friend with exasperation, and just a bit of amusement as well. Back then no one would've ever believed that Sirius Black and James Potter would ever be talking about babies, let alone arguing over a baby story.

And you're the truly pathetic one, James told himself. At least Sirius sort of has a life outside of Harry and this flat. You, on the other hand, really don't.

James and Lily had spent the long, terrible spring in their fortress of a flat, going out as little as possible. Though the flat occasionally felt a bit like a prison to James, mostly it felt like the one place the outside world hadn't touched. While the wizarding world fell apart, inside the walls of their flat it had been just James, Lily, and Harry, and the endless challenges, frustrations, and fascinations that went along with raising a baby.

Lily and James had dealt with teething and tantrums, head colds and solid foods. They'd spent what felt like most of April on all fours trying to teach Harry to crawl, and then all of May and June baby-proofing the flat. Lily and James had argued for days over whether Harry's first word would be "ma-ma" or "da-da," each of them convinced that Harry would say their name first, then had been crushed together when the first word turned out to be "uh-oh." They'd somehow made it through Harry's separation anxiety phase, when Harry would cling to his parents' legs and scream bloody murder on the rare occasions when one or both of them left the flat, and Harry's mimicking stage, when he insisted on imitating virtually every sound he encountered over and over again.

James took the occasional Auror assignment, Lily still worked with charms from home, and both of them felt too strongly about the Order to give it up, but the great majority of the time it was just the three of them in their flat, doing everything they could to keep Harry safe.

"Where's Lily? She can back me up on this," James said to Sirius as he scanned the room for his wife.

"Lily's your wife and Harry's mother; I'm sure she's a very impartial witness," Sirius drawled sarcastically.

James had located Lily standing next to the sofa with Alice and Dorcas and attempted to catch her eye. But before he could get her attention, Lily had slipped out of the sitting room and into the corridor, a grim expression on her face.

"Where'd your impartial witness go?" Sirius mocked.

"She looked upset," James frowned slightly. "Maybe I'd better go and see what's happened."

"Or maybe you ought to leave her alone," Sirius pointed out. "She might want to be alone."

"Who'd want to be alone when they could have me around?" James grinned facetiously at his best friend, then turned and followed Lily.

* * *

Lily glanced over her shoulder to confirm that no one else was in the corridor and slipped into the back bedroom. She withdrew her wand to secure the door…..

Knock, knock…THUNK.

"Gah!" Lily jumped and nearly dropped her wand; apparently today wasn't her day to shine with her unshakable nerves. She turned and spotted Severus Snape lurking just outside. Quickly Lily removed the sealing spell and opened the window "Severus, you scared me! How long have you been there? And how did you get up here without being seen?"

Snape swung one spindly leg over the sill and hauled himself into the room. "Does anyone know that you were meeting me?"

"Yes, I made an announcement before I came and invited them all to join us; wouldn't want to be rude or anything," Lily retorted. Snape's expression sharpened, a telling display of emotion from him, and Lily heaved a sigh. "Sarcasm is clearly wasted on you. Of course no one knows. I'm not exactly new to this."

"I need you to take a message to Dumbledore," Snape decided to ignore Evans' misplaced humour, though it was becoming obvious that Potter was starting to rub off on her. "It's too risky for me to go to him myself, or even to be seen with him."

"Risky?" Lily frowned. "What do you mean –"

"Lils?" James rapped once on the closed bedroom door before pushing it open. "You all right? You seemed a bit – Good Godric, it's Snape! Severus Snape is here!" James trained his wand on his old school foe. "I don't know how you got in here, but if you so much as blink in my wife's direction I'll blast you back to your master in tiny pieces."

"James, stop it!" Frantically Lily flicked a soundproofing charm round the walls and shut and Sealed the door. "Just calm down. Snape isn't here to hurt me or you or Harry or anyone else –"

"Lily," James' eyes darted toward his wife but remained on Snape, "Lily, he's Confunded you or something. I want you to leave this room and go and find my parents and Sirius –"

"James –"

"They'll get you and Harry out of here, and Sirius and I will take care of Snape –"

Lily stepped in front of her husband's wand. "James, Snape is the Death Eater spy!"

"Move out of the way, Lily," James tried to get a clear shot at Snape. "You're confused right now, he's Confunded you –"

"I am NOT Confunded!" the statement that Lily had intended to be firm and calm had come out as more of a shout. "Snape is the Order's spy inside Voldemort's inner circle; he came here because he needs my help."

James lowered his wand very, very slowly and finally rested his gaze on Lily. "What do you mean?" He gripped his wand tightly, his knuckles white with strain as he willed himself to process this information.

"Snape has been spying for the Order for over a year now," Lily explained cautiously. "He came to me in January of 1980 and he asked me to take him to Dumbledore. He's been helping us ever since."

James' eyes sought Snape's again. "How do I know you're telling the truth?" He glared at Snape with something close to hate in his expression.

"I am under no obligation to prove myself to you, Potter," Snape's old sneer, the one he reserved especially for James, filled his face and tone.

"Want to bet, Snivelus?" James smirked with every bit of the schoolyard bully that was left in him. "You're in my house, alone with my wife, and there's a room full of my friends just a shout away. Plus I'm an Auror and you're a suspected Death Eater. I'd say there's a bit of an obligation here."

"Oh, stop it, the pair of you," Lily had had enough. "Severus – "

"_Severus_?" James was incredulous.

"Severus," Lily began again with more volume, "I think you'd better tell us why you came."

"I refuse to discuss this while that strutting peacock is in the room," Snape practically quivered with fury.

"I'll show you a strutting peacock –" Wand be damned, James was ready to take Snape apart with his fists.

"Clapper it, both of you, or I'll fetch a spray bottle!" Lily stamped her foot. "The Order, and any information that you might have for it, are more important than some verbal pissing contest," she divided a pointed glare between Snape and James. "Let's hear it, Severus."

"Bellatrix came to see me this morning," Snape began

"Hold on, Bellatrix is in London?" Lily felt a stab of fear at the idea of that nut job joining in the hunt for Harry.

"Yes," Snape replied after he had counted to five under his breath. "She'd come to tell me that she'd been called back from Eastern Europe –"

"Bellatrix was in Eastern Europe?" James burst out before he could help himself.

Severus threw up his hands. "This is impossible," he hissed.

"Sorry, sorry, we won't interrupt you anymore," Lily did her own count to five. "Please continue."

Seething all the while, Snape recounted his tete a tete with Bellatrix and his reason for appearing at Lily's doorstep, so to speak. "I must speak with Dumbledore immediately," he finished.

"Right," Lily rose from where she'd been perched on the edge of the bed. "I'll go and send the message right now. Try not to kill each other while I'm gone." With that, Lily Unsealed the door and shut it behind her.

The sound of the door catching the latch echoed through the silent room. James abandoned his post by the exit and moved closer to Snape, invading his personal space.

"You might have Lily and even Dumbledore fooled," James kept his voice low and menacing, "but I see you for what you really are: an opportunistic, pathetic, _sniveling_ little wanker who fancies a girl that's way out of his league and will do anything to get close to her. And I just want you to know that Lily is everything to me, and if you try to hurt her, or our son in any way, I will find you and I will _end_ you. Understand, Snivelus?"

Snape shook with suppressed rage and humiliation. He felt as though Potter was spinning him upside down in front of their schoolmates all over again, and Snape hated him for that.

Lily re-entered the room. "I told Dumbledore to meet you at the Hog's Head in disguise," she reported. "He can usually be there quickly, and I did tell him it was an emergency, so –" Lily broke off as the oppressive atmosphere sunk in. "All right, what's happened now?" she demanded.

"I'll go and meet Dumbledore," Snape moved stiffly toward the window. It would have cost him more humiliation than he could bear to have Lily come to his defense again like she had all those years ago.

"Don't worry; we'll keep your secret. Be careful, Severus," Lily touched his shoulder for the barest instant.

"And you as well," Snape inclined his head awkwardly and was gone.

Lily turned back to James. "You have to swear that you won't tell _anyone_," she pleaded earnestly. "Not Sirius, not Peter, not Remus, not anyone."

"Swear that I won't tell anyone?" James ran an agitated hand through his hair. "Like you did, you mean? Why in hell didn't you tell me about any of this?"

"And I suppose you tell me everything there is to know about your life?" Lily shot back. She was suddenly very grateful that she'd had the foresight to cast that soundproofing charm. "I suppose Aurors have no secrets, and that you've never kept a secret for the Order. Secrets are a product of the times we live in and the work we choose to do."

"Don't give me that!" James began to pace because he didn't know what else to do, then stopped and gripped Lily by the shoulders. "You should've told me; Snape could have hurt you or taken you to Voldemort, or maybe even worse, and I didn't even know! We're supposed to be in this _together_."

"We are in it together, always," Lily cupped James' face between her hands. "But Snape's life depended on me keeping his secret. You know as well as I do that Voldemort wouldn't hesitate to kill Snape if he knew he was the spy. You may not like Snape, but even you couldn't stand aside and let that happen to him, especially not after all he's done for the Order, and even for us. Snape was the one who told me that Voldemort knew about the prophecy."

James gritted his teeth and took a step back to run both his hands through his hair in his frustration. He really, REALLY hated it and he'd never admit it, but Lily did have a point. "You still should have told me," he said it again. "You should know that you can always trust me, with your secrets or with anything else that comes along."

"I do know that," Lily smiled, even though she felt more like crying. "I'm sorry." James had a point too.

"Me too," James stepped back toward Lily so he could whisper it in his ear, as if apologising quietly somehow made it easier.

Lily turned her face so that her lips could meet James', and it was a good while longer before either of them remembered about the party.

"Happy Birthday dear Harry, Happy Birthday to you!" The assembled partygoers finished the last line of the song with relief and watched a bemused Harry regard his birthday cake.

"Make a wish, Harry!" Alice sang out, cuddling Neville to her.

"And do it fast before that enormous candle burns down the flat," Sirius added.

"Or makes a bigger hole in that cake," Dorcas put in.

It was true, Harry's huge birthday candle had already put a sizable crater in the cake and was sinking fast.

"C'mon, Harry, blow," James puffed out his cheeks to show him how.

"Uh-oh." Harry, who was sitting in Lily's lap, peered over his shoulder at his mother with a concerned expression.

"Don't worry; Daddy's face isn't stuck like that," Lily reassured her baby. "C'mon, Mummy and Daddy will blow with you."

The three of them bent towards the dented cake and inhaled big breaths of air.

"Ready?" Sirius asked, grinning widely. "One, two, three!"

James, Lily, and Harry blew the candle out to thunderous applause.


	62. The Dark Mark

Chapter 61 The Dark Mark

September 1981

"And here's one of you and Sirius…" James put the photo he'd been holding facedown on top of a large stack and held up another one for Harry's inspection. "And there's Granny and Grandpa; they were the ones who brought you that train…." Harry yawned widely and mumbled something that might have been "train."

James picked up the next photo. "And here's Mummy and Daddy lighting the candle on your cake…."

"Ma-ma!" Harry had no doubts whatsoever about that picture.

"Hello, darling," Lily grinned at the baby as she came into the sitting room. "What are the pair of you up to?" she flopped down on the rug next to James and kissed him soundly on the cheek in greeting.

"Looking at birthday photos," James leaned over to upgrade the kiss.

"Uh-oh!" Harry uttered his favourite word before things could progress very far.

"Sorry, mate," James winked at Harry as he put an arm round Lily so she could see the photos too. "How's your work going?"

"It isn't," Lily grimaced. "That's why I'm taking a break." She eyed Harry, who was looking distinctly bleary-eyed again. "You know these photos always put him right to sleep," she reminded James. "Which means he won't sleep tonight, which means you and I won't sleep tonight."

"We're almost done." James picked up the next photo, which depicted Harry smeared in birthday cake from head to toe. "Here's you and your cake." Harry yawned again. "Er, maybe you're right about the sleeping bit," James hastily put away the remaining photos.

"No," Harry protested. "No!"

"D'you know, I think that's his second favourite word," Lily unstrapped Harry from his baby seat and tossed him in the air. "It's all right, Harry! What d'you want to do for dinner, by the way?" Lily asked James as she settled a grumpy Harry on a blanket on the floor and surrounded him with toys. Harry immediately moved to all fours and began to crawl toward the sofa.

"I dunno. Sirius said he was coming over; maybe we could order in," James stashed the thick stack of photos in a drawer. "Or maybe he'll bring food."

"He's not bringing curry, is he?" Lily glanced round in alarm.

"I thought you liked curry," James was puzzled.

"I do, but Harry can't eat it."

"He's eaten curry before," James pointed out.

"Exactly my point. Or have you forgotten what happened the last time you and Sirius gave him curry?" Lily reminded James.

"That was one time!" James turned to face Lily, and neither of them paid attention to Harry, who had reached the sofa and was now using it to pull himself into a standing position. "And now we know not to order the Four Alarm Fire Chicken Curry anymore if Harry's eating with us. Live and learn."

"What possessed you to feed our baby, whose diet consists mostly of mashed peas and bananas, Four Alarm Fire Chicken Curry in the first place?" Lily shook her head.

"Well, you've got to admit that Harry's diet is dead boring, Lils," James retorted defensively. "Sirius thought that he might like something spicy for once." Behind them, Harry had pulled himself to his feet and, with a furtive glance toward his parents, let go of the sofa and took his first staggering steps toward the nearby chair.

"And you took baby advice from someone who refuses to believe in the existence of the postal system?" Lily raised a brow.

"Well, I wouldn't have believed it about the postman either if I hadn't seen him!" James came to his friend's defense. "Even you have to admit that the whole idea sounds REALLY far-fetched…."

Lily threw up her hands and turned back to the sitting room. "Oh, for the love of – JAMES!" Lily gave her husband's arm a nudge that was really more like a punch. "Look!"

"Owww," James complained loudly. "What's so important that you had to – Good Godric! Harry!"

Harry, who was halfway to the chair by now, stopped in the middle of taking another step and regarded his parents solemnly.

"He's walking!" Lily threw her arms around James and beamed so hard her face hurt. "He's really walking! Oh, Harry!"

"Finally!" James returned Lily's exuberant hug then threw his arms in the air as though he'd just scored a Quidditch goal. "Well done, Harry! Merlin's beard, where's the camera?"

"You're right; we need the camera! Keep going, Harry!" Lily watched in awe as Harry took another step, hardly daring to breathe.

"Camera, camera…" James, his hair sticking out every which way, tried to search the sitting room and watch Harry all at once. "C'mon, Harry! Almost there!"

Harry took another wobbling step, then suddenly sat down hard on his nappy, letting out a little "oof!" of surprise as he fell. Lily and James waited anxiously for him to get to his feet again, but Harry remained seated, apparently feeling he'd put on enough of a show for today.

"Baby, you walked!' Unable to contain herself any longer, Lily grabbed Harry and kissed him soundly. "That was brilliant!"

"Well done, mate!" James rushed over to tickled the baby's ribs and ruffle his hair, sending Harry into a fit of giggles. "I always knew you were the cleverest baby ever born!"

Tiring of the attention, Harry began to squirm. "Down!" he demanded. "Down!"

Lily gave her son a final squeeze before setting Harry on his blanket again, where he immediately flopped on his tummy and proceeded to toy with a stuffed Bludger.

"Can you _believe_ it?" Lily launched herself at James.

"That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!" James hugged Lily hard for a moment before picking her off her feet and swinging her round and round the room.

"Maybe I should come back later," a voice said from the doorway. "Looks like I'm interrupting something."

James stopped spinning and he and Lily turned to find Sirius standing in the doorway, takeout bags dangling from his hands.

"Padfoot, you'll never guess what happened!" James rushed over to his best mate. "Harry just walked!"

"Finally!" Sirius' grin split his face. "I can't believe I missed it!"

"It was incredible!" Lily enthused. "He almost made it all the way to the chair from the sofa!"

"This calls for a celebration!" Sirius declared. "Good thing I brought the Four Alarm Fire Chicken Curry." He brandished his takeout bags proudly.

* * *

October 1981

"This whole 'Harry can walk' bit really isn't all it's cracked up to be," James told Sirius as the pair of them made their way down the hidden staircase in the Hog's Head on their way to an Order meeting.

"What do you mean?" Sirius raised a brow. "What happened to you and Lily frolicking through the flat in glee?"

"That was before we realized how many more things we'd have to baby proof," James explained, glancing up the stairs to make sure Lily and Dorcas were coming down the steps behind them. "When Harry was only crawling, he couldn't reach very much. But now everything we had to move out of his way before we've had to put up even higher because he can reach it. Just the other day Harry got hold of my Snitch and almost ate it before we caught him…. And what d'you mean Lily and I '_frolicked_' through the flat? I do NOT frolic."

"Romped, then," Sirius smirked.

Lily and Dorcas joined them at just in time to hear the last exchange. "Shall we all frolic into the meeting?" Dorcas grinned. "Or you can romp if you prefer, James."

"Ha, ha," James said sourly and pushed open the door. The other three followed him in, still sniggering a bit.

All traces of amusement soon faded away as Sirius, James, Lily, and Dorcas took their seats. A restless murmur buzzed ominously through the room; emergency meetings, especially ones where Dumbledore required all members to attend, were serious business.

Professor Dumbledore waited a few minutes more for the rest of the stragglers to arrive, then stood and faced the assembled witches and wizards.

"Thank you, everyone, for answering my summons on such short notice. I am afraid that we are faced with a very dire situation," Dumbledore began. "Lord Voldemort is planning another attack on one of the children who is potentially involved in the prophecy." A lead weight formed in the pit of Lily's stomach, and James, Alice, and Frank all looked as ill as she felt.

"A reliable source has informed me," Dumbledore continued, "that Voldemort plans to abduct Morwenna Marchbanks, who is a trusted friend to both the Potters and the Longbottoms," Dumbledore's eyes flicked in their direction, "and place her under the Imperius Curse so that she can lead him to Neville Longbottom."

Alice's face drained of what little colour had been left in it. She gripped Frank's arm and stared at Dumbledore as though her life depended on listening to him.

"What are we going to do?" Sirius was sprawled comfortably in his chair, but his tone was grim.

Dumbledore sighed heavily. "Always a tricky question, Sirius. Morwenna is already hidden in a temporary location and will continue to hide until the Order is able to find a more permanent hiding place for her, out of the country preferably. The Longbottoms will of course relocate, and I should also think it advisable to increase the guard on the Potter residence."

"Do you have any idea of the timetable for all of this, Professor?" Sturgis Podmore asked. "Do you have any idea when the Death Eaters are planning to take Morwenna or attack the Longbottoms?"

"My source indicated that they planned to attack the Longbottoms with Morwenna's help by the end of the week," Dumbledore's voice was weary. "Which leaves us very little time indeed."

The meeting went on late into the night as the assembled Order members worked out the specifics, establishing guard shifts, suggesting protection spells and places where Morwenna could hide.

James, Lily, Peter, and Sirius had volunteered to be Morwenna's Order guard when she left the country, and everyone took at least one shift as a guard. It was nearly three o'clock in the morning by the time the Order dispersed.

Lily, James, and their friends lingered until the others had gone and they were left with Dumbledore, who seemed to have anticipated that they would want to ask questions. "Can we see Morwenna, Professor?" Lily asked anxiously.

"I'm afraid not, Lily," Dumbledore's voice was kind. "It's best that as few people as possible know where Morwenna is hiding."

James was almost completely numb. He'd known Morwenna since they were little; their parents had been good friends, so James had always spent a certain amount of time with her. Even at Hogwarts, when she'd been Lily's friend and Lily had hated him, Morwenna had still been James' friend too, always ready to offer her advice and opinions whether James had asked for them or not. Morwenna had been there for almost all of James' life; he couldn't picture life going on without her.

"I suppose you're right," Lily too sounded a bit numb. "I reckon we'll be going, then."

"Me too," Remus put in. Peter, Sirius, and Dorcas all murmured their assent.

"Professor," Alice was trying to keep her voice level, but she wasn't quite succeeding. "Could we – Frank and I – could we talk to you?"

"Of course," Dumbledore's eyes were compassionate. The others filed out, Lily putting a comforting hand on Alice's shoulder for the briefest instant on her way out.

The Hog's Head's main room was deserted and silent, indicating that even the barman had called it a night. James stopped next to one of the empty tables, the other five crowding in round him.

"I can't believe this is happening," Peter spoke up first. "Voldemort can't get another one of us."

"He isn't going to 'get' Morwenna," Sirius snapped. "She's just going to lie low until we find some way to kill Voldemort and then she'll come back."

"Absolutely," James agreed. But all of them found that they couldn't meet each other's eyes.

"Maybe we ought to go home," Remus suggested into the silence. "Get some sleep."

"Maybe," Dorcas shrugged. "Wish there was something else we could do, though."

"I wish we could see Morwenna," Lily said softly. "She must be so scared, all on her own.".

"Let's go home," Dorcas's shoulders slumped in defeat. "That's all we can do, really. Go home and wait for Dumbledore's signal."

* * *

The signal came three nights later. Lily, James, Peter, and Sirius made their way quietly into the Leaky Cauldron just after nine, all of them wearing dark hooded cloaks over Muggle clothes.

The three days between the meeting and the signal had been very tense for the Order of the Phoenix. It had been agreed that Alice and Frank would go into hiding with Neville twenty-four hours after the Order meeting had taken place, which would allow them enough time to pack their belongings and say their good-byes.

Unfortunately, things did not work out according to plan. Alice and Frank had come home from the meeting to find two hooded figures watching their flat. They'd gone after them, but they'd Disapparated before Alice and Frank could get close enough to attack. Still, it had served as an effective warning. They'd raced home, collected Neville, and, with Dumbledore's help, had gone into temporary hiding immediately under heavy Order guard. They'd been moved to a new hiding place two days, later, but they were still heavily guarded and watchful, waiting for the Death Eaters to make their move.

Lily and James had spent the past three days nearly as worried as Frank and Alice had been. They'd had fewer guards than usual and had slept very little, making sure one of them was always awake and with Harry.

Worried though they were, both Lily and James had been adamant about being part of Morwenna's guard. So when they'd received the signal earlier that evening, Lily and James had taken Harry to Mr. and Mrs. Potter.

Mr. and Mrs. Potter had each promised to stay awake and with Harry at all times until Lily and James came back, and both Remus and Dorcas had volunteered, along with Benjy Fenwick, to be Harry's guard for the night, but both Lily and Harry had cried when it was time for James and Lily to go.

Lily was still fighting back tears as she stood in the pub with the others, waiting for Dumbledore. She felt horrifically guilty for leaving Harry, but she was equally resolved to help Morwenna out of England. Part of Lily couldn't help but feel that it was her fault that Morwenna was in danger; if she hadn't gone to Morwenna when the Death Eaters had come for Harry, Morwenna never would have become involved so much with Harry and Neville, would never have been brought to Voldemort's attention.

Two figures entered the pub, each of them heavily cloaked and carrying a bag. Without a word the six hooded figures climbed the stairs to one of the private rooms, as had been previously arranged. Only when the door had been locked and Sealed did any of them remove their hoods or dare to speak.

"Morwenna!" James hugged his childhood friend as she pushed back the hood of her cloak. "Are you all right?"

"We've been terribly worried," Lily took her turn embracing Morwenna.

"I'm all right," Morwenna replied as she received a bone-cracking hug from Sirius.

"We haven't much time," Dumbledore said as Peter squeezed Morwenna awkwardly. "It would be best if you left now."

Quickly Morwenna, Lily, James, Sirius, and Peter divested themselves of their cloaks, revealing ordinary Muggle clothing underneath.

"Here," Sirius tossed a motorcycle helmet at Morwenna. "Put this on."

"I thought we were going in a car so that we'd seem like Muggles," Morwenna eyed the helmet with distaste.

"_We_ are," James replied smugly. "_You're_ riding on the motorbike with Sirius."

"But don't worry; he's promised not to fly," Peter piped up helpfully.

"What?" Morwenna appeared less than pleased. "Why?"

"Because Death Eaters would probably assume that you'd be in the car," Lily answered, tucking her hair under a dark wig. "I'm going to be the decoy."

"Isn't this top secret bit fun?" Sirius smirked.

"Feeling any better?" Lily asked sympathetically. Morwenna, who was still a bit green round the gills after her motorbike adventures in London, shook her head.

"I've never been more terrified in my life, and that includes when Dumbledore came to tell me that the Death Eaters wanted to put the Imperius Curse on me," she groaned.

"Maybe you ought to put your head between your knees again," James offered.

They'd made it to Heathrow Airport and were now waiting for Morwenna's flight to be called. "Why are you hiding in France?" Peter wanted to know.

"I'm not," Morwenna looked down at her lap. "I have to go in another air-plate when I get there."

"It's 'airplane,'" Lily corrected gently. "People won't know what you mean if you call it a plate."

"Good to know," Morwenna smiled wanly and took Lily's hand.

"So you don't have any idea where you're going?" Peter seemed confused.

"No, I know," Morwenna seemed to have aged ten years. "I just – well, I can't tell you."

"Well, I hope it's nice there," James didn't know what else to say.

"It ought to be," Morwenna mustered up a small smile. "It's somewhere quite tropical."

"Morwenna," Lily gripped her friend's hand. "I'm sorry, Morwenna. I'm so, so sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Morwenna wanted to know, clearly surprised.

"Because they wouldn't be after you if it weren't for me," Lily replied miserably. "You stayed out of – all of it - until I came running to you that night and dragged you in. They knew you were around Harry and Neville a lot because I dragged you in."

"Lily," Morwenna squeezed Lily's had in return and looked her dead in the eye. "You didn't drag me. I wanted to help. I couldn't stand back and let Voldemort hurt Harry, or Neville. I chose to become involved, and I'm not sorry." Morwenna blinked back tears and smiled at Lily.

Lily returned the smile and hugged Morwenna tightly, much to the discomfort of the assembled male members of the guard detail.

Eventually Lily and Morwenna pulled apart, sniffling slightly. "Done, are you?" Sirius asked hopefully.

"Yes," Lily rolled her eyes.

"Is Remus staying with Harry tonight then?" Morwenna attempted to change the subject.

"Yeah, he and Dorcas and Benjy Fenwick are guarding Harry at my mum and dad's place," James was relieved to be having a rational conversation again and felt the need to participate.

"Benjy Fenwick?" Morwenna was surprised. "But he got a new assignment."

"What?" James frowned. "Where did you hear that?"

"He was guarding me earlier today," Morwenna explained. "He got an owl from Dumbledore asking him to trade places with Sturgis and help guard Neville tonight instead."

"That's impossible," Sirius said jerkily. "I met Sturgis for dinner right before I got the signal; he had an hour to eat before he had to be back at Alice and Frank's."

"But Benjy Fenwick left to take over Sturgis' shift at four," Morwenna whispered. "Emmeline Vance came to take his place."

"Overreacting much?" Peter snorted. "It's some sort of mix up; Harry's just fine. Let's get Morwenna on her air-plate and then we can go and make sure."

"No," Lily said. A sick feeling had settled in her stomach, and warning bells seemed to be screaming in her head. "We have to get to Harry," she managed to say. "Right now."

* * *

When Peter Pettigrew had gotten the signal earlier that evening, he'd wanted to dance and sing with relief. This plan was going to work, and he was finally going to be able to prove his worth to the Dark Lord.

It had been his idea to use Morwenna to get to Neville and Harry, his idea to put her under the Imperius Curse, then stage a situation where she'd be in charge of one of the babies. Morwenna was one of the few people close to Lily and James who hadn't had any training in resisting the Unforgivable Curses, making her an easy mark. It had seemed like a solid plan to him, and so he'd taken his idea to his master.

But the Dark Lord wanted Harry. He planned to eliminate both of the babies, but it was Harry he saw as the real threat. So he'd come up with the decoy plan, which would allow him to get to the baby he really wanted. He'd ordered several of his most trusted Death Eaters to spread the story about planning to use Morwenna to get Neville, counting on the fact that it would reach Dumbledore's ears through his spy system.

That part of the plan had gone off without a hitch; both the spy and Professor Dumbledore had swallowed the story whole and had proceeded to behave just as predicted.

Once everything was in place, Lucius Malfoy had forged a note from Dumbledore and sent it to Benjy Fenwick. It had then been a simple matter to abduct him, snip off a bit of his hair for a Polyjuice Potion, and send Malfoy in his place. Peter didn't know what they'd done with Benjy, a kindly old man who'd been teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts for the past couple of years, and he didn't want to know.

All Peter had had to do was stay with Lily and James and Sirius, make sure that they were occupied with Morwenna long enough to give the Death Eaters a chance to grab Harry.

Peter cursed the bad luck that had led Benjy Fenwick to read the note in front of Morwenna under his breath as he watched the situation slip out of his control.

* * *

James, Lily, Morwenna, Sirius, and Peter managed to find a secluded corner of the airport and Disapparated, abandoning the car, motorbike, and Morwenna's seat on TWA flight 800 in their haste.

They'd wasted precious seconds arguing and precious minutes finding an isolated spot. Peter had argued strongly that they couldn't abandon their mission or Morwenna and Morwenna had argued just as strongly that they needed to go now and that she was coming with them. James and Lily, terrified and fast losing patience, had fought fiercely for Morwenna's side and when Sirius had weighed in that he too thought they should go Peter had been forced to give in.

James, Lily, Sirius, Morwenna, and Peter appeared with a series of loud pops in the park at the end of the Potters' street. "C'mon," James said as soon as everyone was visible and started up the street, Lily matching him stride for stride and Sirius and Morwenna at their heels.

"This is stupid," Peter huffed for the umpteenth time as he struggled to keep up with the others. "It's just some sort of simple little mix up! Harry's fine, but Morwenna might not be if we don't get her back to the airport –"

James halted, whirled round, and hauled his friend up by the shirt collar. "I know you think this is stupid," he ground out between his teeth. "But this is about _my son_, and if you don't shut up and let me get to him, I will force feed you your own head." He dropped Peter as quickly as he'd picked him up and continued down the street.

Eight more houses to go, James thought desperately as he forced his legs to take longer strides. Seven houses…..Six….

And then suddenly there it was, casting an eerie green glow over the darkened street. It twinkled and glittered merrily as it caught and reflected the light from the street lamps, inviting the eye to look up and know that the worst had happened.

The Dark Mark.

"NO!" James shouted, and broke into a run. He heard a scream from somewhere to his left, knew vaguely that it was Lily, but he kept going. He had to know what had happened, to see who had survived….

The Potters' town house stood as tall and quiet as it ever had when James had lived in it, the light from the Dark Mark winking off its stones. For the barest instant James' heart slowed, and he stood staring up at the house in disbelief, thinking that there'd been some terrible mistake. But then it registered: the door had been flung wide and two front windows were broken, and the whole house was dark, not blazing with lights like it should have been. James flung himself up the stairs and hurtled through the open door. "Mum! Dad! Harry!"

Lily reached the house just seconds after her husband, gasping for air. "Harry!" she panted, glancing wildly round. "Harry!" Lily lunged toward the steps to follow James.

"Lily, no! Wait!" Sirius caught her round the waist and hauled her back, Morwenna and Peter coming in behind him.

"Let me go!" Lily aimed one shoe at Sirius' shin. "Harry!"

"Ouch! Lily, please, please let me go in there instead. You might not want to see –" Sirius tried unsuccessfully to swallow the lump in his throat.

"Don't you understand?" Lily kicked him again. "I have to be with James, I have to find Harry!"

"Lily! Sirius!" A new voice called, and suddenly there was a figure striding through the garden toward them. Morwenna and Peter, the only two who had their hands free, held their wands at the ready.

"Remus?" Sirius tightened his hold round Lily, nearly cutting off the remainder of her air supply. "Is that you?"

Remus stepped into the light, and both Lily and Morwenna gasped. Remus' face was scratched and bloodied, and a nasty burn streaked the length of one arm, the cloth of the sleeve singed almost completely off. His wand hand was steady, nonetheless, and he clutched a wrapped bundle tightly in the other arm.

"Remus," Lily pried her hands free from Sirius' grip and placed them on Remus' shoulders. "Where is Harry? What's happened to him?"

"He's safe," Remus answered wearily, and unwrapped his bundle. There, asleep in the crook of Remus' arm, was Harry.

"Harry!" A relieved smile lit Lily's face as she scooped the baby up and smothered him with kisses, squeezing him so hard he made a small sound in protest.

"Is he all right?" Sirius asked Remus, grinning from ear to ear at the baby.

"Yeah," Remus replied. "Yeah, he's all right."

"Where's James?" Lily asked, cuddling Harry close as he clung to her and fussed softly.

"Here," a voice answered, and they all turned to find James standing at the top of the front steps, his eyes glassy with shock.

"James!" Lily started toward him. Snapped out of it somewhat by the sound of his wife's voice, James stumbled down the steps to meet her and caught Lily and Harry tightly to him, burying his face between them.

Lily finally pulled back enough to speak. "Where are your parents?" she asked softly, dreading the answer.

"Dead," James replied flatly. Wendell too."

"Oh," Lily managed to say. Oh." She took James' hand with her free one and squeezed it tightly.

"Dead?" Sirius stepped forward, his face as stricken as James'. "But they –"

"I'm sorry, James," Remus said quietly.

"Remus?" James moved past Sirius, dragging Lily and Harry along with him. "Remus, what happened?" he asked urgently, gripping Remus' shoulder. "Tell me what happened!"

"Death Eaters," Remus said wearily.

They'd arrived less than an hour ago, Remus explained. He'd been in one of the back rooms, watching the rear doors, and hadn't even known they were there at first. Then Remus had heard a banging noise and Dorcas shouting, so he'd gone to investigate.

"It was Benjy Fenwick," Remus told them. "He'd gone out to do something, to check something, probably, and Dorcas opened the door to let him back in. I got there just in time to see them coming in behind him and Dorcas trying to hold them off."

Mr. Potter had been coming down the stairs and had intercepted Remus before he could come to Dorcas' aid. "He told me that Harry and your mum were upstairs, that I needed to go and protect them," Remus recollected. He'd slipped up the stairs and found Harry and Mrs. Potter in James' old room, where Harry had been asleep.

As soon as he'd reached them, Mrs. Potter had thrust Harry into Remus' arms. "Your mother told me to take him and get out," Remus continued. "She said that one of us had to get Harry out and that it had better be me because I was in the Order and would know how to get Harry somewhere safe. I argued with her, but she told me not to be a prat and strode off with her wand drawn."

Remus had wrapped Harry up and climbed down the trellis, going slowly for fear of dropping the baby, and had been intercepted by two Death Eaters in the garden. "One of them hit my arm, and I fell the rest of the way down," Remus explained, indicating the burn. "I Stunned one of them before he could do anything worse, but the second one had already shouted for the others to come before I got him."

Remus had used a cloaking spell to hide himself and Harry in the garden while the other Death Eaters searched, Finally one of them had shot the Dark Mark into the air and they'd left.

Remus had waited a few more minutes to be certain there weren't any more Death Eaters, then he'd gone back into the house where he'd found Mr. and Mrs. Potter and Wendell the house elf.

"I heard somebody coming while I was inside, so I took Harry back into the garden," Remus finished his story. "I've never been happier to see anyone than I was to see Lily and Sirius."

"What happened to Dorcas?" Tears streamed down Morwenna's face.

"The Death Eaters took her with them," Remus replied heavily. "She looked to be in bad shape."

Silence settled over the street again as they all tried to fathom what that meant for their friend.

"James," Peter spoke up finally, standing directly in front of the step that James and Lily sat on. "James, what are you going to do?"

James who had buried his face in his hands, lifted his head to survey Peter with blank, glassy eyes. "I don't know," he said hoarsely. "What we have to do. Go into hiding, try to keep Harry safe."

"We'll go with you," Sirius put his hand on James' shoulder.

"We'll help you protect Harry," Morwenna put in. "I'll stay here, and we'll go somewhere that Voldemort can't find him."

"No," Lily looked up at her friends from her perch on the step, Harry still clinging round her neck and whimpering softly. "No, that won't work anymore." Lily glanced at James, and his eyes met hers in perfect understanding before her gaze went to Morwenna. "You have to get on that plane and go into hiding, just as planned. And you," her eyes fell in turn on Sirius, Remus, and Peter. "You have to go back to your lives and jobs."

"What are you going to do?" Sirius stared.

"We're going to do the only thing that will keep us all safe," James answered for Lily. "We're going to disappear."

Albus Dumbledore crept down the staircase toward Hogwarts' main floor, the small flame from his candle the only light in the huge echoing hall.

He was on his way to the kitchens to get some hot chocolate; he needed something to do to occupy his mind, and fetching hot chocolate seemed as good a distraction as any. Dumbledore knew he wouldn't sleep tonight, not until he'd received word that all was well with the Order.

Professor Dumbledore finished his descent and started across the entrance hall. Before he could reach the door that led to the lower corridors, however, a quiet knock sounded against the castle's mammoth outer doors, a knock that would have been inaudible to anyone not standing a short distance away.

But Dumbledore did happen to be standing a short distance away, so he supposed the sensible thing to do would be to open the door. He flicked his wand at the ancient lock and the door swung easily open.

At first there appeared to be nothing there at all. But then a hand reached out of nowhere and pulled the nothingness away to reveal two hooded figures.

"Professor," the smaller figure pulled the hood away, and Dumbledore realized that it was Lily Potter who stood in front of him. "Professor Dumbledore, we need your help."

* * *

Author's Note:

Yes, I'm still here and still writing, I just 1.) have been busy this summer and 2.) forgot to put an author's note on the previous chapter. As you've probably guessed, the next chapter will be the last one, and then PI will be finished, just in time for Half Blood Prince.

Thanks, as ever, for the reviews and the support and the patience. Enjoy!


	63. Godric's Hollow

Chapter 62 Godric's Hollow

October 23, 1981

Sirius Black circled above the Whomping Willow, making sure to give the tree a wide birth before bringing his motorbike into a seamless landing on the outskirts of the Hogwarts grounds. He removed his helmet and swung his leg over the bike, beckoning wordlessly for his companion to follow him.

The second man swung his own leg over the seat in imitation of Sirius and managed somehow to tangle himself in the bike's footpegs. There was a loud crash followed by an even louder exclamation of pain as man and bike toppled over together.

Sirius stalked to them, righted his bike, and yanked the helmet off the second man's head. "Wormtail, be _quiet_, for the love of Merlin!" he hissed furiously. "Do you want the entire castle to know that we're here?"

"Yes, I'm fine, thanks for asking," Peter sniffed as he climbed to his feet and brushed himself off with an air of injured dignity.

"I didn't ask because I don't care," Sirius snapped. "If you're enough of a git to hurt yourself getting off a motorcycle, then you've got bigger problems than a few scrapes and bruises." He glanced toward the castle again. "We'd best be on our way in case anybody heard that."

"I don't know what you're so worried about," Peter complained as they hid the motorcycle in the trees and put a few Concealment Charms on it for good measure. "There's no one to see; it's after hours."

Sirius gritted his teeth. "I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer."

"Er ……why not?" Peter wanted to know.

Sirius counted to three and took a deep breath before answering. "If you'd go to the trouble of using your thick head," he said in a would-be calm voice, "then you'd know that just because it's after hours doesn't mean that there's no one to see. Some students go out after hours, just like we did PRACTICALLY EVERY NIGHT OF OUR HOGWARTS CAREER!"

"Oh. Right," Peter said lamely, but Sirius hadn't stuck round to listen. So he turned and scurried after Sirius, leaving the motorbike hidden in the dark.

* * *

"You certainly got here quickly," Professor Dumbledore observed as he led Sirius to his private office. For reasons unknown, Peter had been instructed to wait in Professor McGonagall's office while Sirius accompanied the headmaster.

"Yeah, well, we took the motorbike," Sirius explained.

"Ah," Professor Dumbledore said, amusement thick in his voice. "That would indeed explain it." The pair stopped in front of the familiar gargoyle statue, and Dumbledore stepped forward. "Licorice rope," he said, and the gargoyle rumbled to one side, revealing the staircase. Dumbledore and Sirius stepped on to begin the ascent to the office, the gargoyle swinging shut behind them.

At the top of the staircase, Dumbledore motioned Sirius ahead. Puzzled, Sirius stepped into the office…..and saw James, Lily, and Harry sitting in front of Dumbledore's desk.

"James!" Sirius, abandoning all pretensions of cool, rushed forward to tackle his best friend. "Lily, Harry!" he turned swiftly to hug Lily as well, then picked Harry up and tossed him in the air.

"See!" Harry gave his version of his godfather's name and squealed in delight as Sirius caught him.

"What're you doing here?" Sirius demanded "What's going on?"

"Perhaps we should all sit down and discuss that, Sirius," Dumbledore answered him mildly. He conjured another chair and waved Sirius into it. After exchanging a glance with James, Sirius complied.

"How's Remus?" James' eyes flicked toward the closed door.

"He's still in St Mungo's," Sirius told him. "His burn was - bad, so they need to keep him for a couple of days. Peter's with me though; he was there when I received the owl from Professor Dumbledore and insisted on coming."

"Have you heard anything about Dorcas or Morwenna?" Lily asked anxiously.

"There hasn't been any word about Dorcas," Sirius replied, relinquishing Harry to Lily. "But Morwenna sent me a note with some sort of tropical bird, so it seems as though she got there." He pulled a note in Morwenna's distinctive handwriting from his pocket and offered it to Lily, who scanned it quickly and handed it to James. Morwenna had left the note unsigned, saying only that she was safe and they could count on her for a place to hide, should anyone ever need one.

"Now will you tell me what's going on?" Sirius demanded once again. "I thought you'd gone into hiding."

"We have," James answered, "or at least we will. But we –" he glanced quickly at Lily, "we need you to help us."

"Help you? How?" Sirius was clearly confused. "I mean, of course I'll help you, but what do you want me to do?"

Lily and James exchanged a glance. "Maybe you'd better explain, Professor," Lily suggested.

"Very well," Dumbledore turned to Sirius, his expression intent. "As I've explained to Lily and James, Sirius, my sources inform me that Voldemort is furious that Harry escaped from him last night. He has reportedly focused all of his considerable resources and energy on finding Harry."

Dumbledore let the impact of his words sink in for a moment before continuing. "I have given the matter much thought," he went on, "and I believe that the Fidelius Charm is Lily, James, and Harry's best chance for survival."

"Fidelius Charm?" Sirius seemed dazed. "What's the – I've never heard of –"

"Precisely the point, Sirius," Dumbledore said gravely. "It's very old magic, mostly forgotten now, and there's a very good chance that Lord Voldemort is among those who have forgotten it.

"The Fidelius Charm hides a secret inside the soul of a person, a Secret-Keeper," Dumbledore explained. "Once the spell is cast, the secret is magically concealed and cannot be revealed unless the Secret-Keeper chooses to do so."

James leaned toward his friend. "We're asking you to be our Secret-Keeper, Sirius."

* * *

It was nearly two hours before Sirius left Dumbledore's office to rejoin Peter and return home. Worn out with planning, Lily and James collected Harry, who had gone to sleep in a chair long ago, and prepared to go to their room in the next wing for some much-needed sleep.

Dumbledore sat silently behind his desk and watched them. "I must ask you again," he said softly, "are you absolutely certain that you wish to have Sirius as your Secret-Keeper?"

James turned to face the headmaster. "Completely," he answered firmly. "I would trust, I have trusted, Sirius with my life, and Lily's and Harry's too. He'd die before he'd turn us over to the Death Eaters."

"I admire your faith in Sirius," Dumbledore spoke in a careful tone, "but this is an extremely dangerous situation. Lord Voldemort and his followers will not hesitate to hunt down and torture anyone they believe might have the information they want, and Sirius will be the first person the Death Eaters will seek out. There are other choices; I myself would gladly act as your Secret-Keeper."

"You've done so much already, Professor," Lily protested. "We can't allow you to put yourself in danger to help us. Everyone in the Order looks to you to lead them. If something were to happen to you, I'm not sure the Order would survive it."

"Sirius said he'd go into hiding as well; the Death Eaters won't be able to find him," James spoke with confidence. "We'll be all right."

"Very well," Dumbledore smiled at them, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "It is of course your decision. You'd better take Harry to bed." Dumbledore rose to escort them to their room.

"Er – Professor?" James asked hesitantly.

"Yes?" Dumbledore regarded him mildly.

"There is one thing you could do for me, if you don't mind," James hedged.

"That all depends on what you're asking of me, I suppose," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily. "What is it that you need?"

"Well –" Feeling a bit foolish, James fumbled round on the floor next to his chair. "You see, I have this Invisibility Cloak, and – well, I was wondering if you'd keep it for me. Keep it here, I mean. My father gave the cloak to me and his father gave it to him, and – well, I wouldn't want anything to happen to it if something happens to me."

The room fell silent as Lily and Dumbledore watched James fold the cloak, lovingly straightening the folds before holding it out to the headmaster.

"Of course I'll keep it for you, James," was all Dumbledore said, but his eyes, sad and intense and wise, spoke volumes. He accepted the bundle from James. "It will be safe here until it is needed again."

* * *

October 24, 1981

Godric's Hollow was a quiet little village, the sort of place where the shopkeepers greeted most of their customers by name and nobody locked their doors at night. Several secluded holiday cottages dotted the wooded area round the town, and the village did a small tourist trade; people passing through on their way to the larger holiday areas would often stop to shop or eat, or even stay for a night or two. Godric's Hollow was a perfectly unassuming, pleasant place that was small enough to be overlooked but large enough that a few strangers wouldn't cause a stir. In short, it was an ideal place to disappear.

These were the thoughts running through James' head as he watched the village pass by the car window. Dumbledore was right as usual, he decided. Godric's Hollow felt safe; it seemed like the last place on earth that the most powerful Dark wizard in a century would ever go.

"Are we the second turn off this road or the third?" Lily asked, drawing James' attention back to the present. She'd insisted upon driving, claiming that James was "rather conspicuous" when he was behind the wheel.

"Erm…" James consulted the map. "The third."

Lily made the appointed turn onto one of the many small roads that led out of the village. "You really think we'll be safe here?" she asked after a bit.

"Of course we will," James said with more conviction than he actually felt. "Dumbledore said this was our best chance. We'll be all right." Lily squeezed James' hand briefly before returning her attention to the road.

A few moments later, Lily and James' Muggle car came to a stop in front of a house. "Here we are," Lily said unnecessarily. She and James collected Harry from the backseat and the three of them turned to study their new home.

It was a thoroughly ordinary little stone cottage, as average and unassuming as Godric's Hollow itself. There was a picturesque view of the village across the meadow, and the cottage was secluded from nearby houses by a grove of trees. "I think it looks nice," James said finally.

"Me too," Lily smiled and hugged Harry a bit tighter.

The roar of an engine filled the quiet little clearing, and a familiar motorbike rounded the bend and thundered to a halt in front of the cottage.

"This is it?" Sirius' voice, slightly muffled by his helmet, was incredulous.

"Yeah," James answered. "This is it."

"Well, you'll certainly blend in with the Muggles," Sirius observed. "It looks like you evicted someone's dear old granny from this place."

"You evicted someone's granny?" Peter yanked his helmet off so that he could hear properly.

"Of course not," Lily explained patiently. She and James exchanged a quick, uneasy glance; what was Peter doing here? "Sirius was just being odd."

"Not to mention talkative," James added with a pointed nod in Peter's direction. "Nice to know we have a Secret-Keeper who can't keep his mouth shut. It really inspires loads of confidence."

It was Sirius and Peter's turn to swap glances. "Peter's here for a very good reason," Sirius began, "one that I think we ought to talk about inside."

James frowned at his best mate, but elected to fumble round in his pocket for the key rather than comment. Meanwhile, Lily, Peter, and Sirius returned to the car to fetch the baggage. After retrieving another small knapsack from the motorbike, Lily, Sirius, Peter, and Harry followed James into the cottage and locked the door behind them.

It didn't take long to establish the locations of the sitting room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms, and so James, Lily, Harry, Sirius, and Peter found themselves gathered in the cottage's sitting room, regarding each other with solemn expressions as each searched for a way to broach an awkward, even painful subject.

Talk about your proverbial elephant in the room, Lily thought as she scanned the other people facing her. They'd spread themselves around the sitting area, consciously or unconsciously leaving space for the missing people who should have been seated in between. Kathleen had been the first to leave the ranks after Hogwarts, and gradually the others had followed. Alice and Frank were hiding somewhere, too occupied with keeping Neville safe to help Lily and James. Morwenna had gone into hiding far away, and it made Lily shudder to think about what had probably happened to Dorcas. Remus had come back once, but it was only Sirius and Peter who were here with them now, and soon Lily and James too would disappear.

"Has there been any word about Dorcas?" James asked into the silent room.

Sirius and Peter shared a telling look. "What is it?" Lily stared hard at Sirius, who was carefully avoiding eye contact.

"Dorcas –" Sirius began, looking toward Peter again.

"We know what happened to Dorcas now," Peter said in a small voice.

"Just say it," James divided a stare between Peter and Sirius.

"The Death Eaters took Dorcas to Voldemort, on his orders," Sirius stated flatly. "Voldemort - killed her personally."

Lily fought to swallow round the lump in her throat; she was afraid she was going to be sick. Complete silence filled the room as Lily and James absorbed the news.

"We have to perform the Charm," James felt panicked and claustrophobic; Voldemort and his Death Eaters were closing in on them, on Harry, as he eliminated their friends one by one. He jumped to his feet and fumbled for his wand. "We have to do it now. There isn't anything else we need, is there? Because –"

"James," Sirius interrupted his best friend's panic. "I need to talk to you about the Fidelius Charm. Sit down."

Struck dumb with shock, James sat. In all the years he'd known him, James had never heard Sirius sound quite so somber.

Sirius took a deep breath. "James, Lily," he began, "I think you should use Peter as your Secret-Keeper."

"What?" James stared. "But you –"

"Think about this for one second, Prongs," Sirius urged. "Anyone who knows you at all knows that I'm your best mate. We were always together at Hogwarts, and that hasn't actually changed much since we left school either. Voldemort has spies in the Order and the Ministry; we can be sure that he knows who's close to you, knows who you'd trust with your family's lives. There's even a chance that he might know about the Fidelius Charm. And if he does, who do you think he's going to come after? Me."

"But –" James tried again.

"Don't you get it?" Sirius leaned forward, gesturing agitatedly. "I'm the obvious choice! I'd die before I'd give you and Lily and Harry up to him, you know I would, but we both know that there are things other than torture that Voldemort could use to get the information he wants. Veritaserum, to name one, and there are loads of other potions and spells like it, some that we know about and others we've never even heard of. If Voldemort uses any of those things on me, the secret would be out and he'd come for you."

"What are you saying, Sirius?" Lily asked quietly. "That we should use Peter rather than you and just hope that Voldemort doesn't guess? How is that any less of a risk than our original plan? Anyone who knows James knows that you and he are best friends, true, but they would also know that Peter and Remus come in as a close second. You really think that Voldemort would only consider you and dismiss Peter and Remus simply because you're the closest to us?"

"Of course not," Sirius raked a hand through his hair in a gesture highly reminiscent of James. "I'm saying that we need to confuse him, make things less obvious. What I'm proposing is this: we make Peter the Secret-Keeper, but we imply to everyone else who knows about the Charm – mainly Dumbledore and Remus – that I'm the Secret-Keeper. That way they won't know the truth, if anything happens to them. Then Peter and I go into hiding – in separate hiding places – and we – well, we wait this whole thing out."

"It just might work," James said slowly, straightening it all out in his head.

"But it's such a lot to ask of you, Peter," Lily turned to Peter, who had been silent all through Sirius' explanation. "I – we – certainly wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to have any part of it."

"Of course I'll do it," Peter's voice squeaked a bit and he cleared his throat loudly before continuing in a more determined tone. "I'll do whatever it takes to help keep Harry safe; you know that."

"It's settled then," James got to his feet again and this time the others followed.

* * *

October 25-30, 1981

Lily and James spent the week after the Fidelius Charm was cast acclimating themselves and their baby to their new surroundings. Though they felt more secure than they had in months, Lily and James still weren't quite optimistic enough to venture out into the town very often. However, they found more than enough to occupy themselves in their little cottage.

Lily hadn't done things the Muggle way in quite some time and James had never lived as a Muggle at all, so basic household chores required a great deal of effort, argument, and, when all else failed, improvisation. Even when Lily had lived as a Muggle with her parents she hadn't done a great deal of housework, so lots of tasks were just as much a mystery to her as they were to James (which irritated him to no end).

Cooking proved to be one of their biggest challenges; if Lily had thought her and James' cooking skills had been a bit sketchy when armed with wands, said skills were completely nonexistent without them. James had managed to get pepper in both his and Harry's eyes one afternoon when he was attempting to make sandwiches, and Lily had banned him from preparing tea altogether after he'd mistook some withered lettuce for tea leaves. For her part, Lily had set two wooden spoons and one finger on fire in her attempt to make an omelette and had charred at least a dozen slices of toast into oblivion.

Their laundry skills weren't much better; it had taken Lily and James two loads of pink socks to learn about separating colours and whites, and they'd given up on starch entirely after one ill-fated experience. James had refused point-blank to cut the grass, which Lily actually thought might be for the best, all things considered.

Harry, at least, was enjoying his Muggle holiday; Lily and James hadn't taken him to the countryside very often in his short life (it had been easier to protect him in their London flat), and Harry was fascinated by the abundance of grass, trees, and small furry animals. "What's that?" quickly became his best phrase (though it did tend to come out sounding more like "Whussat?") and if he wasn't out in the walled garden behind the house, he had his face pressed to the window so he could stare at it.

"It's raining, Harry," James explained yet again to the baby one grey afternoon. "We can't go outside right now."

"Go!" Harry repeated stubbornly, clutching at the windowsill in agony. "Goooo!"

"Lils!" James, nervous in the face of Harry's crisis, called for reinforcements. "This distraction bit isn't working!"

"I can't come right now," Lily's voice drifted out from the kitchen. "I'm trying to find something that we might be capable of cooking for dinner."

"Ma-ma!" Realising his lack of progress with one parent, Harry did his best to summon the other.

"All right," Lily sighed in defeat as she abandoned the kitchen for the sitting room. "What are the pair of you doing in here?"

"Go!" Harry pointed emphatically at the grey, wet outdoors.

"You try," James pointed to Harry in turn.

"It's raining, darling," Lily crouched down next to Harry. "We'll go outside later, or tomorrow."

"You think I haven't tried that?" James scowled.

"Go!" Harry was scowling now as well.

"Erm…" Lily hedged, distracted. When they wore matching scowls like this, Harry's resemblance to James was uncanny, bordering on alarming. Much as she loved James Potter, Lily wasn't sure she was equipped to raise a miniature one.

"That's all you've got?" James was unimpressed.

"Unless you can make it stop raining, I doubt we're going to make Harry happy right now," Lily pointed out.

"We could – hey! We could bring Harry to watch us cook," James suggested. Lily and James had come to a mutual agreement that Muggle cooking wasn't something either of them should do alone.

"And then maybe we could feed him to a crocodile, or let him run across the motorway." It was Lily's turn to scowl. "It's not exactly safe fun for the whole family when we cook, in case you hadn't noticed!"

James opened his mouth but quickly realized that he had no defense. "Or maybe we could just pop outside for a second," he mumbled.

"Go?" Harry turned big green eyes on his mother.

"Oh, all right," Lily relented. "It's loads safer taking your chances with getting sick out there than cooking with Mummy and Daddy in here."

James collected boots and coats from the cupboard and began to work Harry's feet into his boots while Lily stuffed the baby's upper half into a raincoat. Then they quickly donned their own things and ventured out into the rain, Harry clinging to their hands.

The moment they reached the garden, Harry let go of his parents to toddle precariously to the edge of the nearest puddle and jumped into it with both feet.

"Harry!" Lily exclaimed over the baby's gleeful shrieks, "You're soaking wet! Don't jump in the puddles, darling, or you really will catch – Gaah!" Lily screeched and leapt back as a tide of water from the large puddle that James had just jumped into washed over the tops of her boots and into her socks.

"C'mon, Lils," James smirked and nodded toward an untouched puddle. "You know you want to."

Lily rolled her eyes at James, but before she could formulate a retort he had jumped into another puddle, closely followed by Harry. Water spattered everywhere, drenching all three of them even further.

"Whussat?" Harry plunged toward another puddle on wobbly legs. Lily fought a smile as she watched him go. If you can't beat them, join them, she thought. She couldn't remember the last time she'd gone jumping into puddles, or even if she ever had….

"Lils?" Lily looked up and there was James standing at the edge of a particularly large puddle, grinning a wicked grin and holding out his hand to her.

Lily shrugged, smiled, took James' hand, and jumped. Cold puddle water flew in an impressive arc across the garden, sloshing all over them along with the rain, and Lily couldn't help but laugh. Like so many other things since she'd met James Potter, puddle jumping was proving to be more fun than she'd expected.

* * *

October 30, 1981

Peter Pettigrew removed the hood from his head and nervously smoothed the hair underneath in preparation for meeting his master. As he did so, the sleeve of his black robe fell back, exposing the Dark Mark branded into his left forearm. Peter tugged the sleeve down again through force of habit before he remembered himself. No need to hide the Mark here. Still, Peter patted the sleeve nervously into place. He didn't quite feel like being reminded about his loyalties at this particular moment.

As he waited, Peter's mind wandered back to his Hogwarts days. He'd done Muggle Studies his third year; he'd wanted to do Arithmancy like James, Sirius, and Remus, but barely a week into the term the professor had suggested he find something else. Most of those Muggle Studies lectures were a blur to him now (he certainly didn't advertise his lessons in Muggle culture around the Dark Lord and his followers) but a line by a famous Muggle playwright had stuck with him: "If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well if it were done quickly." Peter didn't remember the name of the writer exactly (Shapespeeler, or something like that) or what had happened in the play it had come from, but he'd found it to be good advice: do the things you had to do quickly, before you could think about them too much. Because the less you thought about them, the easier they were to do.

"If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well if it were done quickly," Peter repeated the phrase aloud like a talisman, keeping time with the silent refrain in his head. "If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well if it were done quickly."

It had taken him nearly a week to get here, nearly a week to find both the courage and the opportunity to slip away from the hiding place Sirius had put him in and arrange a meeting with his master. Peter wasn't entirely sure how he felt about what he was here to do, and he didn't want to think about it much. On the one hand, he wouldn't be able to keep up his pretense as a spy anymore, nor would there be any reason for him to, and his role as Order member, Marauder, and friend would be officially finished. On the other hand, he would be a hero among the Death Eaters, would have the admiration of the Dark Lord. This was the side that Peter tried to focus on as he repeated his mantra under his breath.

He tried not to think about baby Harry dying, about how Lily and James would feel if they survived, or about how he would feel if they didn't. He tried not to picture his mother's horror, or Professor Dumbledore's disappointment, or Remus' rage as he realised what Peter had done to Kathleen. He tried not to imagine how Sirius would react, or what Sirius might do to him if given the opportunity. He tried not to count the number of people who would hate him soon, or the number who would want him dead.

And though Peter had become an expert at blotting out the faces of the people who had died because of him, he couldn't quite do it this time. No matter how many times he repeated the phrase, all he could think of was James, Sirius, and Remus and how they'd befriended him and taken care of him in their own ways. He remembered how Lily had always been kind to him, remembered the Marauders' glory days at Hogwarts, and how happy Lily and James had been to have Harry.

"If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well if it were done quickly," Peter repeated more firmly, an edge of desperation in his tone now. "If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well if it were done quickly." He'd wanted to blurt out Lily and James' secret before he could think about it, but the Dark Lord wasn't here yet, and Peter was alone with plenty of time to think, and he couldn't get it done quickly.

"If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well if it were done quickly." Peter tried not to imagine things, tried to get hold of himself. He wouldn't have the Marauders anymore, it was true, but he'd have the Death Eaters, and he'd have his master's gratitude, maybe even his affection. And if it all went wrong, well, then, Peter had a plan for that too. He'd come out of this all right; rats could survive in places and in ways that dogs, stags, and wolves couldn't. "If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well if it were done quickly."

"What's that you're babbling about, Wormtail?" A high, cold voice asked, a hint of amused malice in its tone. "Gone over the edge, have you?"

"It – it's nothing, my lord," Peter said quickly through white lips. He took a deep breath. Here goes nothing, he thought. Do it quickly or you might not do it at all. "I have good news. The Potters have made me their Secret-Keeper. I know where they're hiding."

Voldemort's thin, cold lips stretched into a semblance of a smile.

"Excellent."

* * *

October 31, 1981

10 PM

"Someday there'll be a world without Voldemort," James said softly, stroking Harry's back as the baby blinked blearily in his cot, fighting sleep. "And we'll leave Godric's Hollow and never have to hide from anything again. And I'll teach you how to fly a broomstick, just like my dad taught me. And we'll play Quidditch with Sirius and Remus and Peter…."

Lily crept up the stairs and stood in the doorway to Harry's room to listen, the bottle she had gone to fetch for the baby dangling from her hand, forgotten. Harry had always had trouble falling asleep during rainstorms, so James had begun telling him bedtime stories until he fell asleep. They weren't really stories, and Lily suspected that it had more to do with the sound of James' voice than the story itself, but they did seem to help Harry. Lately all of James' stories began the same way, and Lily found that she too loved to hear the bedtime story. Not to help her sleep, but because Lily needed to believe, as James did, that one day there would be a world without Voldemort.

"…..and you'll have a normal wizard childhood, where no one will think you're a freak or that there's something wrong with you because of the things you'll be able to do," James continued in soft, soothing tones. "And someday you'll go to Hogwarts, just like your mum and dad did, and you'll turn the place upside down, just like I did with Sirius," James grinned at the thought. "And every holiday you'll be able to come home and have fun with Mummy and me. Although Mummy and I will be taking a holiday as soon as it's safe again, one that you won't be coming along on. No offense, mate, but if you ever want to have any brothers and sisters….."

Lily didn't quite stifle a laugh in time, and James whirled round and spotted her. "er, hi," he said a bit lamely. "Just putting the baby to sleep –"

"By telling him about the sex you plan to have someday," Lily finished for him, shaking her head and hiding her face behind curtains of her long red hair. "Leave it to you."

James reached out with one hand and tilted Lily's face up to the light. She hadn't been able to hide her amused smile and her eyes were overbright, as if she'd teared up a bit during James' monologue but hadn't quite cried. "You liked my story and you know it," he smirked.

"Quiet; Harry's trying to go to sleep," Lily blushed.

James shook his head and gestured toward the cot, where Harry was sleeping peacefully on his stomach. As always, Lily felt her heart swell in her chest at the sight of her baby, and she reached out to brush his cheek. "He passed out around the time I was telling him about Hogwarts," James reported as he put an arm round Lily and pulled her out of the baby's room. "He's gone to sleep much faster since we came to Godric's Hollow."

"The country definitely agrees with Harry," Lily observed. "He's really loved it here."

"Yeah," James agreed, squeezing Lily a bit tighter. "We'll have to get another place in the country someday." His voice was wistful, and Lily knew that James was thinking of the time he'd spent in his parents' country house when he was growing up. James had asked Sirius to sell that house along with the London one when Sirius had offered to take care of the Potters' estate, saying that he'd never be able to go to either house again. But it made Lily smile to think of having another house in the country, one that would be free of old ghosts.

They reached the bottom of the staircase, and Lily went to relight the candle in the jack o' lantern that had fizzled out while she was upstairs. She managed to strike the match properly after only two tries and coaxed the candle back to life. The jack o' lantern grinned toothily at her, casting an orange-ish glow over the sitting room.

She, James, and Harry had spent most of the afternoon carving jack o' lanterns, which had proved to be another difficult feat without the use of magic. To make matters worse, Lily and James had laughed to the point of hysterics remembering the sadly botched pumpkin prank that the Marauders had attempted the Halloween of their seventh year, and hysterical laughter wasn't conducive to a steady carving hand. Finally they'd managed to produce one jack o' lantern with recognisable eyes, nose, and mouth and had displayed it proudly on the mantle.

Lily smiled again remembering the prank. "What do you want to do now?" She called over her shoulder to James, who had wandered off to sit on the sofa. "It might be fun to see if we could get these," she indicated the three sad, rejected jack o' lanterns stacked next to the dining room table, "to sing, or even to act like Bludgers, but I suppose that would sort of ruin the whole non-magic –" Lily came to a stop as she caught sight of James' face. "What is it? Are you all right?"

"Sure," James attempted a smile. "Could I talk to you for a minute?"

Wordlessly Lily moved to sit next to James on the sofa. "Go ahead," she invited.

"Lily," James turned to face her and took both of her hands in his. "Lily, I want you to promise me that if the worst happens, if Voldemort finds us, you'll take Harry and get to Dumbledore."

"Why are you saying this?" Lily began angrily, but James stopped her.

"Lily, _please_," James inhaled again before he continued. "I need you to promise me."

"And you think I would just take Harry and run, and leave you there to _die_?" Lily felt tears forming but blinked them back, her expression fierce. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep Harry safe – you know that – but I won't leave you."

"I know you wouldn't choose to," James' eyes stared into Lily's. "And I know you'll do what you have to do to keep Harry safe, but I want you to promise me that if it – gets bad – you'll take Harry and go."

"I can't –" Lily shook her head and swallowed the lump in her throat. "I don't –"

"Lily," James leaned in until his face was a breath away from hers, "promise me."

"All right," Lily said quietly. "I promise. But you had damn well better be right behind us, James Potter, because I bloody well will _not_ live without you!"

James closed the minuscule distance between them and kissed her, not quite trusting his voice or the words that might come tumbling out. It seemed like an eternity before they pulled back and lay back on the couch tangled together, their hands tightly clasped. The jack o' lantern cast a warm glow over them as they listened to the storm howl outside.

"James?" Lily said into the silence.

"Mm?"

"Say it again." There was a pleading note in Lily's voice.

James kissed Lily's cheek and tightened his arms around her before he began.

"Someday there'll be a world without Voldemort….."


	64. Epilogue

Epilogue

November 1, 1981

Swirls of dust and ash rose up from the remains of the cottage near Godric's Hollow and blew away in the brisk breeze, dancing over the heaps of wood and stone like ghosts before continuing up into the night sky.

All was quiet in Godric's Hollow, the full moon casting long shadows over the two new graves that sat near the wrecked cottage. Across the meadow the village slept peacefully, the Muggles inside of it blissfully unaware of the momentous events that had taken place nearby.

For most of the wizarding world, today had been a day to celebrate, a day to pop champagne corks and firecrackers and dance in the streets. Rumors swirled through the crowds like streamers, giddy and colourful and wild. They said that the Potters were dead, and some said You Know Who was dead as well. Others said he'd only fled the country, but whatever they'd heard or believed, the majority of witches and wizards cared only that You Know Who was gone, and they wanted nothing more than to revel in it and raise their glasses to toast the Boy Who Lived.

But for some, today wasn't a day to celebrate. It was a day to mourn, to plan and prepare, and to wait for what would come next.

At Hogwarts Castle, Albus Dumbledore sat in the headmaster's office, his twinkling blue eyes sad for once as he stared at the Invisibility Cloak folded on the desk before him. Slowly, he placed the cloak in a box and wrapped it in paper, then crossed the room and set the parcel gently on a cupboard shelf. His expression was determined as he touched the box gently one final time, and shut the cupboard door firmly behind him. Then he took out his Pensieve, sat down at his desk, and began to think.

Downstairs in the castle's dungeon, Severus Snape unpacked his belongings in his new office, setting jars of potions on the shelves and placing books in the bookcases. Snape paused in his work and, after glancing furtively over his shoulder, regarded the fading Dark Mark on his left forearm and wondered what the future would bring.

In the Forbidden Forest behind Hogwarts, Remus Lupin sat in the underbrush in werewolf form, too stunned to be overtaken by the urge to hunt and kill. He was alone now, the last of the Marauders, and nothing would ever be the same again. Remus turned his face skyward and howled his anguish at the moon.

In an old house in Grimmauld Place, Bellatrix Lestrange too was staring at the faded Mark, tears of grief and rage streaming down her face as she shook her head in denial. She swallowed down her hysteria and turned to her husband and the two others who had gathered there with them. And together they began to form a plan.

In the Hog's Head tavern in Hogsmeade, Alice Longbottom sat with her fellow Order members, Neville clutched tightly to her chest as she cried. Alice and the people around her knew better than anyone what Voldemort had been capable of, had fought harder than anyone else had to bring about his downfall. But the room was silent. Remembering the people they had lost along the way and thinking about the person that had betrayed them all, Alice and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix didn't feel much like celebrating.

Far away in her hiding place, Morwenna Marchbanks read a letter from Dumbledore, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief. Eventually she sank into a chair, dropping the letter to the floor. The threat was over; she was free to return to her home now and begin to pick up the pieces. But Morwenna knew that she'd never go back to London, not after all that had happened there. It would seem empty to her without Lily to talk to, without Sirius and James and Peter and Remus to make her laugh. Morwenna closed her eyes, trying to decide what was best to do.

In a sewer in London, Peter Pettigrew crouched with the other rats and nursed his maimed paw, trying desperately to decide what was best to do. His plan had worked; he'd managed to escape from Sirius, and no one would ever know the truth. What he had to do now was find some sort of protection, a safe place to hide in the wizarding world until his master returned, if he ever did. But where would a rat be safe? A flood of relief washed over Peter as he answered his own question and carefully he began to limp in the right direction

In Azkaban prison, Sirius Black sat numbly on a cell floor, his guilt and despair washing over him in waves. Lily and James were gone, Harry was orphaned, and it was all his fault. He had virtually handed them over to Voldemort, had believed Peter when he'd hinted that Remus was the spy without ever thinking to suspect timid, bumbling little Peter himself. And as the irony and sheer ridiculousness of the situation struck him anew, Sirius Black began to laugh again.

In Magnolia Crescent, Arabella Figg finished arranging the antimacassars on the sofa in her new house, then bent to pet one of her many cats. She straightened and moved toward the window, peering yet again toward Privet Drive and the house where the Boy Who Lived, as they were calling him, would soon be taking up residence.

And in a basket on the front step of Number 4 Privet Drive, Harry Potter slept, a nearby streetlamp illuminating the lightning-shaped cut on his forehead.

* * *

Author's Note:

After all this time, my seemingly endless story is finally finished! I don't know whether to be thoroughly depressed or proud and relieved, so I think I'll be a little of both.

I want to thank everyone for being patient and sticking with me, especially those readers who have been reading from the beginning. I appreciate you taking the time to read my work, whether you've reviewed every chapter or never left a review at all. I've had a lot of fun writing this story, and I hope you've been entertained as well. It's meant a lot to me to know that Priori Incantatem has inspired a reaction in people.

Hopefully I won't sound too trite and gushy when I say thank you to everyone who has taken the time to leave a review. When I first started writing PI, I didn't expect to enjoy the reviews quite so much; your comments have flattered me, inspired me, made me laugh, and motivated me to get new chapters out during times when I was busy or tired or didn't particularly feel like writing. Knowing that people were waiting to find out what happened turned out to be a great motivator.

In honour of PI ending, I thought I'd share a few pointless (but hopefully interesting) facts about the story.

**Length:** 662 pages (in my Microsoft Word document, anyway)

**Number of chapters I originally thought I'd write:** 30

**Number of fanfiction award nominations:** 4

**Number of fanfiction awards won:** 0

**Rejected story titles:** James Potter and the Girl Who Hated Him, The Marauders' Tale, Lily and James (hey, they're rejected for a reason)

**Biggest real-life inspiration:** My family. I have a brother and seven male cousins, all of whom I'm very close to, and they provided the inspiration for a lot of the dialogue, jokes, and anecdotes in PI. I'll leave it up to you to guess which ones.

**Chapter I had the most fun writing:** Beards, Bows, and Bafflements. At the end of the previous chapter, The Mad Tea Party, James spikes Petunia's tea and hints to Lily that there might be some ill effects. When I posted that chapter, I had no idea what I was going to have happen to Petunia, and I still didn't know when I was sitting down to write the next chapter. The beard thing popped into my head, so I just went with it and ended up completely giving myself the giggles, the kind that make your sides hurt, as I wrote the chapter. In fact, that chapter still makes me laugh. For me, there's just something about that beard.

Hope everyone enjoyed reading _Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince_ as much as I did (although I'm SICK about the whole Snape thing – to think I spent so much time trying to understand that bastard!) and thanks for being patient with me when it took (a lot) longer than I thought to get this last chapter out. That quote Peter used is from Shakespeare's _Macbeth_, Act 1 Scene 7 in case anyone is interested.

Also, I re-wrote my other story, _A Sacrifice_, as a sort of missing scene from PI. I'm not sure how much fan fiction I'll be writing in the future; I may do a few short, single chapter stories eventually. You can check my bio page for those, if you're interested, and in the meantime, feel free to send me an email.

Thanks for reading!

-fellytone


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